Just Standing More Probably Won't Help Your Heart

October 17, 2024
Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter

Got yourself a standing desk because you know sitting is unhealthy? It might be the wrong move, new research suggests.

The study of over 83,000 British adults who wore special movement monitors on their wrists found no benefit to exchanging sitting for standing, in the absence of actual movement or exercise.

In fact, prolonged standing might even be detrimental to the heart, upping the odds for issues like varicose veins or leg clots known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), Australian researchers said.

“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," said study lead author Dr. Matthew Ahmadi said.

"We found that standing more does not improve cardiovascular health over the long term and increases the risk of circulatory issues,” according to Ahmadi, who is deputy director of the Charles Perkins Centre’s Mackenzie Wearables Research Hub at the University of Sydney.

None of the new findings mean that folks should dismantle their standing desks and go back to sitting, however. Instead, work more movement into your day, the team said.

“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 study co-author Emmanuel Stamatakis. He directs the 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 added in a university news release.

Research published earlier in 2024 by the same team found that only six minutes of vigorous exercise, or 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per day can cut heart risks in folks who otherwise are "couch potatoes" for more than 11 hours per day.

The new findings were published Oct. 16 in the Journal of Epidemiology.

More information

Find out more about the health downsides of sitting at the Mayo Clinic.

SOURCE: University of Sydney, news release, Oct. 16, 2024

Occupational Health