If the phrase "sitting is the new smoking" has you scrambling to buy a standing desk, you might want to take a moment.
New research suggests that standing desks might not be the holy grail they're marketed as, and prolonged standing can bring its own set of health risks.
Researchers from Australia and the Netherlands studied a pool of 83,000 people to find out if standing desks were as beneficial as they are made out to be.
Each participant wore a device that tracked their sitting, standing and physical activity over several years, providing accurate data about their daily habits.
The study found that sitting for more than 10 hours a day increased the risk of heart attack and stroke. But the researchers also found that standing for the same period did not reduce this risk. Instead, it increased the risk of circulatory problems and conditions like varicose veins, which is caused by blood pooling in the legs.
Standing might not be the answer to your sitting struggles, but hope is not all lost. Our bodies are built to move, so simply incorporating movement in your day can mitigate some of the risks associated with prolonged sitting and standing.
Sit-stand desks can also offer a compromise, encouraging you to change positions and move more often.
Taking short, active breaks can make a big difference in your day-to-day health.
Any kind of prolonged static position can be harmful in excess, so before you commit yourself to standing all day, try taking the stairs or doing a lap around the office first.
And if you do decide to get in on the standing desk trend, think of it as an alternative to sitting rather than an antidote.
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