We’ve all heard about the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle for your heart. Sitting for too long – at a desk, on the couch or behind the wheel – can lead to serious cardiovascular complications. But new research suggests standing may not be the answer either. So, what can we do?
If you’ve spent any time in an office recently you’ve most likely seen someone working at a standing desk, towering over the floor like some kind of business tyrannosaurus. The idea is to break up long days sitting in a chair and give your heart (and other organs) a break from your inactivity.
Standing to perform daily tasks you would normally sit for has become a popular way to alleviate the negative effects of prolonged sitting.
Being inactive – or sedentary – for long periods, leads to fatty material building up in your arteries and in turn, heart attack and stroke. In contrast, getting up and exercising has a positive effect – so using a standing desk must be providing at least a little relief to your heart, right?
Well, no, not if the results of a new study from the University of Sydney are anything to go by. Published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, the study found that standing more overall compared with sitting does not improve cardiovascular health (coronary heart disease, stroke and heart failure), and that standing for long periods could increase the risk of circulatory issues such as varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis.
The research did also confirm that sitting for over 10 hours a day increased both cardiovascular disease and orthostatic (circulatory) incidence risk, reinforcing the harm that sitting can do.
What exactly did they find?
The study looked at the health data of more than 83,000 people tasked with using a wearable fitness tracker to track their activities (including whether they were standing or sitting) over a period of almost seven years.
They then compared the average daily time spent doing both, matched against incidences of major cardiovascular disease (heart disease, heart failure and stroke) or orthostatic circulatory disease (orthostatic hypotension, varicose veins and venous ulcers).
The found that an increased time spent standing was not associated with higher cardiovascular disease risk but was associated with higher orthostatic circulatory disease risk.
Time spent sitting above 10 hours each day was associated with both higher orthostatic circulatory disease and major cardiovascular disease risk.
“Collectively, our findings indicate increasing standing time as a prescription may not lower major cardiovascular risk and may lead to higher orthostatic circulatory disease risk,” the study concludes.
So, what should we do?
Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, co-author of the study, says the results show you need to mix it up between sitting, standing and moving throughout the day.
“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,” he says.
“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. In Australia, we are now coming into the warmer months, so the weather is perfect for sun-safe exercise that helps you get moving.”
How long do you spend sitting and standing each day? Are there any ways you could mix it up more? Let us know in the comments section below.
Also read: Weekend exercise could be as good for brain health as daily exercise
