Exercise

Office Workers Should Stand For 2 Hours a Day

Office workers should spend a minimum of 2 hours standing during their workday, and eventually progress to 4 hours of standing, to protect from adverse health effects of a sedentary lifestyle, according to a new set of guidelines written by a group of experts at the request of Public Health England, an executive agency of the United Kingdom's Department of Health.

The guidelines were created to assist employers and office workers in counteracting the health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle, which include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers.
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Key recommendations for employees during working hours include:

  • Workers should alter posture and engage in light walking to decrease musculoskeletal pain and fatigue.
  • Workers should use adjustable sit/stand desks and workstations to break of periods of seated work.
  • Workers should avoid prolonged static standing due to health harms.
  • Workers should spend at least 2 hours daily standing and engaging in light activities and eventually progress to 4 hours per day.
  • Employers should promote the health benefits of eating a balanced diet and obtaining from cigarette smoking.
  • Employers should explain the dangers of sedentary lifestyle (at work and at home) to employees.

“We hope these guidelines stimulate future research, and that greater precision will be possible within future iterations,” the authors concluded.

The complete study is published in the June issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

-Michelle Canales Butcher

Reference:
1. Buckley JP, Hedge A, Yates T, et al. The sedentary office: a growing case for change towards better health and productivity. Expert statement commissioned by Public Health England and the Active Working Community Interest Company. Br J Sports Med. 2015 June [epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2015-094618.