Are standing desks helping or hurting our health?
We keep reading and hearing about the negative effects having a sedentary lifestyle can have on our health. A big part of the problem for many people is sitting at a desk at work all day and not moving enough of the time.
One possible solution comes in the form of standing desks, which have grown in popularity in recent years. But are these standing desks actually helping us or are they no help at all?
A study led by a West Virginia University epidemiologist found alternating between standing and sitting at work can decrease sedentary behavior, but it also found too much standing at work may be just as harmful as too much sitting. The recent clinical trial was aimed at finding out whether changing from a sitting to a standing desk at work could help people lower their blood pressure. Overall, results show the change reduced sedentary behavior by about one hour per day. The bad news is that blood pressure did not improve at all.
“The research on standing desks and cardiovascular health is mostly negative,” says Dr. Indu Poornima, a cardiologist and Division Director of Clinical Cardiology & Imaging at Allegheny Health Network (AHN). “While some small studies suggest modest improvements in certain cardiovascular risk factors (like blood sugar and blood pressure) compared to prolonged sitting, this effect has not been replicated in larger studies, and in fact, there is some suggestion that prolonged occupational standing can adversely impact vascular tone and lead to venous pooling in legs.”
During the WVU trial, 271 participants were asked to stand 15 to 30 minutes per hour and take a walking break every hour. They also wore fitness trackers to remind them to move each hour. For those who wound up standing even longer, the news wasn’t good: aortic arterial stiffness actually increased, which makes your heart work harder and can be an early indicator of cardiovascular disease.
So, is standing too much as harmful as sitting too much?
“The overall health benefits are likely most pronounced when compared to prolonged periods of sitting,” says Poornima. “But it’s important to underscore that standing desks alone will not be a direct solution to improved heart health or prevention of cardiovascular disease. Standing at work when combined with intermittent walking, however, is better than sitting for prolonged periods of sitting at work. Most importantly, prolonged leisure-time sitting is associated with abnormal triglycerides, abdominal obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes.”
The American Heart Association says nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure. Increasing physical activity can help lower the numbers, and researchers found that even if the standing desks didn’t help that standing outside of office hours did. Researchers attribute that to people moving around more outside of work rather than just standing still at a desk.
The news isn’t all bad for standing desks, as benefits can include relief from lower back pain, and some studies show they can help regulate blood glucose levels.
“Standing at a desk can be beneficial compared to sitting all day, but the benefits are often relatively small unless combined with other healthy lifestyle habits like consistent exercise, proper nutrition and reducing overall stress levels,” Poornima adds.
“The key takeaway is that standing is better than sitting for prolonged periods of time but is not a sole contributor to improved overall health.”
She advises the best approach is to minimize prolonged sitting and incorporate regular movement throughout the workday.
“Alternating between sitting and standing when combined with regular breaks to walk around, stretch, or do light exercises are much more effective in improving cardiovascular health and overall well-being than simply swapping a chair for a standing desk.”
While a standing desk can help reduce sedentary time each day, doctors recommend we get moving for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week, along with muscle-strengthening activities twice a week.
“Walking is a great form of moderate-intensity exercise and can contribute significantly to meeting these guidelines,” Poornima says. “However, incorporating higher-intensity activities, even short bursts, can be very beneficial for cardiovascular health. A combination of both intensities is optimal.”
Consider taking the stairs and walking during lunch breaks along with micro-breaks throughout your workday to stretch or move around.
“This is better than long periods of inactivity and has been shown to lead to healthy, lifestyle modifications of increased movement.”