Sitting for extended periods has long been linked to various health risks including cardiovascular issues, driving the popularity of standing desks among office workers. However, a recent study suggests that standing for extended periods offers no long-term cardiovascular benefits and may not be the better option.
According to the latest study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, standing for long periods may not benefit heart health and could increase the risk of circulatory problems, such as deep vein thrombosis and varicose veins.
Researchers from the University of Sydney analyzed heart conditions and circulatory disease data from 83,013 UK adults, collected over seven to eight years. These participants, who did not have any heart disease at the start, were monitored using wrist-worn wearables similar to smartwatches to track their activity and health.
The analysis revealed that for every additional 30 minutes spent standing beyond two hours, the risk of circulatory disease increased by 11 percent.
“The key takeaway is that standing for too long will not offset an otherwise sedentary lifestyle and could be risky for some people in terms of circulatory health. We found that standing more does not improve cardiovascular health over the long-term and increases the risk of circulatory issues,” Dr Matthew Ahmadi, the lead author of the study said in a news release.
The researchers also found that sitting for more than 10 hours a day raises the risk of both cardiovascular disease and orthostatic issues.
Based on these findings, the researchers recommend that people who are regularly sedentary or stand for extended periods incorporate regular movement throughout the day to mitigate these risks.
“For people who sit for long periods on a regular basis, including plenty of incidental movement throughout the day and structured exercise may be a better way to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease,” said Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, Director of the Mackenzie Wearables Research Hub.
“Take regular breaks, walk around, go for a walking meeting, use the stairs, take regular breaks when driving long distances, or use that lunch hour to get away from the desk and do some movement,” Stamatakis said.
Earlier research by the team found that just 6 minutes of vigorous exercise or 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per day can reduce the risk of heart disease, even in individuals who are highly sedentary for over 11 hours a day.
