Stand up for your health, workers told
Tuesday June 2nd, 2015
Office workers should stand up for at least two hours a day while they are at work, according to radical guidelines published today.
The
guidelines follow a series of studies highlighting the risks of sitting
for long periods.
They would require many workers to work standing up and walking about for extended periods.
The developers say that eventually offices should ensure workers are standing for at least four hours a day.
And standing and being static is not enough, they add. Workers should be allowed to walk about.
They are published today in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and backed by Public Health England.
Developers say Britons now spend 60% of their waking time sitting.
The researchers, led by Professor John Buckley, of Chester University, UK, write: “For those working in offices, 65-75% of their working hours are spent sitting, of which more than 50% of this is accumulated in prolonged periods of sustained sitting.
“The evidence is clearly emerging that a first behavioural step could be simply to get people standing and moving more frequently as part of their working day."
Guidance: 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 British Journal of Sports Medicine 2 June 2015; doi 10.1136/bjsports-2015-094618 [abstract]
Tags: Fitness | Heart Health | UK News
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