A desk job could be the death of you, says study

A desk job can almost double the risk of a premature death, according to new research.

A study of almost 8,000 people found those who sat for long periods were up to twice as likely to die over the next four years. Participants who kept most of their sitting bouts to less than 30 minutes had the lowest risk of death.

Dr Keith Diaz, of Columbia University in New York, said: “So if you have a job or lifestyle where you have to sit for prolonged periods of time, we suggest taking a movement break every half hour. This one behaviour change could reduce your risk of death, although we don’t yet know precisely how much activity is optimal.”

He added: “We found both total sedentary time and uninterrupted sedentary bouts were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality - regardless of whether or not an individual exercised.”

Last year a study by Cambridge University found one in six deaths in the UK – 90,000 a year – were caused by 9-to-5 office lifestyles.