I Thought It Was Healthy... Developed 'This Disease' After Standing While Working

University of Sydney Study on 80,000 British Adults
Standing for Over 2 Hours Increases Cardiovascular Disease Risk

A study has found that using a 'standing desk,' designed to allow work or study while standing, may actually be harmful to health.

On the 16th (local time), foreign media such as the UK's Daily Telegraph and The Guardian reported on this research led by a team from the University of Sydney, Australia. The research team collected heart and circulatory data over 7 to 8 years by tracking movement using devices similar to smartwatches on 83,013 British adults. The results confirmed that standing for more than 2 hours a day could increase the risk of problems such as arrhythmia thrombosis or varicose veins. Among the study participants who initially had no heart-related diseases, 8% developed cardiovascular issues such as heart disease, stroke, or heart failure, and more than about 2% developed new circulatory problems like varicose veins or deep vein thrombosis.

The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Standing desk. [Image source=Pixabay]

The risk of cardiovascular disease for people who work standing was found not to be lower than for those who sit. On the contrary, even standing for just a few hours increased the risk of cardiovascular disease. The research team revealed that standing for more than 2 hours increased the risk of cardiovascular disease by 11% for every additional 30 minutes of standing. For those who worked sitting, the risk of cardiovascular disease was slightly lower when sitting for 6 to 10 hours. However, once sitting time exceeded 10 hours, the risk increased, and beyond 12 hours, the risk sharply rose by 13% per hour.

Dr. Matthew Amadi of the University of Sydney, who led the study, explained, "The important point is that even if you work standing for a long time, it does not offset the health risks of a lifestyle spent sitting for long periods, and from a circulatory health perspective, it may even be risky for some people. We found that standing more does not improve cardiovascular health in the long term and increases the risk of circulatory problems."

Professor Emanuel Stamatakis of the University of Sydney's Mackenzie Wearable Research Hub advised, "For people who sit for long periods, systematic exercise or additional movement may be a better way to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease than standing work. Take regular breaks and walks, use stairs, rest during long drives, and be active during lunch breaks," he recommended. This study was recently published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

The Telegraph reported that most office workers in the UK spend more than 80% of their working hours sitting, and standing desks have gained popularity in recent years among those suffering from back pain caused by this. Additionally, Scandinavian countries such as Sweden, Denmark, and Norway allow office workers to use standing desks. Past studies showed that using standing desks increased productivity and significantly lowered the incidence of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, but recent research emphasizes that standing desks cannot replace physical activity and that movement is necessary to reduce the risk of circulatory health problems.