Sit too much? Standing a lot isn’t great either, study finds

Sydney — Although standing has gained popularity as a way for workers to counteract the detrimental effects of sitting for extended periods, a new study shows it may not be as healthful as previously believed.

A team led by researchers from the University of Sydney used accelerometer data from more than 83,000 adults to examine links between daily sitting, standing and stationary time with cardiovascular disease and orthostatic circulatory disease incidence. 

They found that standing more doesn’t decrease the risk of heart disease, stroke or other issues over the long term. In addition, it may increase the odds of circulatory issues associated with standing, such as blood clots and varicose veins. 

“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,” lead study author Matthew Ahmadi, a physician at the university, said in a press release.

Ahmadi and his colleagues recommend workers take breaks and move around during the day instead of sitting or standing for long periods of time.

“Use that lunch hour to get away from the desk and do some movement,” study co-author Emmanuel Stamatakis, a professor at the university, said in the release.

The study was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.