Bought a Standing Desk to Avoid Sitting... Study Finds It May Increase Circulatory Disease Risk

"Prolonged standing increases risk of circulatory diseases"
"Combining sitting, standing, and walking is necessary for health benefits"

A new study has found that height-adjustable standing desks may not provide the expected health benefits. The analysis suggests that simply reducing sitting time and standing more does not significantly lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

A study has shown that simply standing for long periods is not enough to improve health. Photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Pixabay

On September 25 (local time), the Australian nonprofit academic media outlet The Conversation reported on research indicating that standing for long periods does not prevent heart disease and stroke, and may actually increase the risk of circulatory disorders.

Long-term tracking of over 80,000 people: "No improvement in heart health, increased risk of circulatory disease"

A research team at the University of Sydney in Australia conducted a long-term observational study of more than 83,000 individuals and found that prolonged standing not only fails to improve heart health but may also increase the risk of certain circulatory diseases. Standing for long periods did not reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke; in fact, spending too much time either sitting or standing was associated with a higher risk of conditions such as varicose veins and orthostatic dizziness.

These findings contradict the previous belief that standing desks have a positive impact on health. For years, the dangers of prolonged sitting have been highlighted to the extent that "sitting is the new smoking" became a common phrase, and several studies have demonstrated links between long periods of sitting and obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

In this context, standing desks have attracted attention as an alternative that can reduce sitting time without drastically changing one’s lifestyle. However, there has been a lack of long-term research evidence to support their effectiveness.

In the study, participants wore devices that tracked their sitting time, standing time, and physical activity over several years. The analysis showed that sitting for more than 10 hours a day increased the risk of heart disease and stroke. However, simply increasing standing time did not mitigate this risk. On the contrary, prolonged standing was linked to a higher risk of circulatory disorders. The researchers explained that standing for long periods can cause blood to pool in the legs, leading to conditions such as varicose veins.

However, the study has limitations due to its observational nature, meaning it cannot establish causality. Additionally, since the average age of participants was 61, it is difficult to directly apply these findings to younger populations.

Static postures are harmful... Combining sitting, standing, and walking is more effective for improving health

The media outlet noted, "These results suggest that simply switching from a sitting to a standing posture is not a perfect solution," and emphasized that "the body responds more positively to regular movement than to static postures, whether sitting or standing."

The researchers found that when office workers combined light activity with their standing time, health indicators such as blood sugar improved. Other studies have also shown that alternating between sitting and standing, and taking walking breaks, is more effective than simply standing for long periods.