DO YOU HAVE SITTING DISEASE?

Sitting at a desk all day is not good for your health, according to doctors at the Mayo clinic. Their research shows that prolonged sitting during the work day can lead to a number of health issues – such as obesity and metabolic syndrome. Too much sitting has also been linked to an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, according to studies.

The negative effects of sitting for too long – which is a daily problem for most modern office workers - have been called “sitting disease”, and is a term often used by companies which supply or sell standing desks. Standing desks are said to lessen the effects of sitting disease by getting employees to – you guessed it – stand while they work.

Most standing desks can be placed on top of a traditional office desk or table, and used in a sitting position. When a user wants to stand, the unit is then lifted up via handles and a hinge system – with any monitors, laptops, keyboards, and other peripherals on the desk elevating with it. Typing, writing, reading, and taking phone calls are all then done while standing.

This means you can stand and work, and go back to sitting when you get tired or have met your standing quota for the day. Standing desks are said to help with an array of health problems, by getting people to stand up for longer periods of time more regularly, including:

• Weight loss • Back pains • Brain health • Heart health

According to a study by a Texas university, the use of standing desks was associated with “significant improvements in executive function and working memory capabilities”. Standing more often has also been linked to a reduction in blood sugar levels and cholesterol. Combine this with a reduction in obesity, and this lowers the risk of heart disease.

“The impact of movement - even leisurely movement can be profound. The solution seems to be less sitting and more moving overall,” states the Mayo clinic.

It said those who stand and move more often than their colleagues who remain seated burn more calories, and trigger muscle activity which leads to the breakdown of fats and sugars.

“When you sit, these processes stall, and your health risks increase.”

It added that even if you visit the gym regularly or engage in vigorous exercise, this does not guarantee that the risks of sitting for prolonged periods of time every day will be offset.

Besides the long-term health implications, short-term problems like lower back pain are also caused by sitting for too long. Sitting has been shown to contribute to lower back pain, while standing regularly is said to lessen any immediate discomfort and help prevent the problem from worsening.

The Mayo clinic suggests the following for people who sit for long periods of time at work and are concerned they might have sitting disease:

• Stand while talking on the phone or eating lunch. • Use a standing desk if you are at your desk for long

periods of time. • Walk and talk with your colleagues instead of sitting

in a meeting room.