Standing Desks Don’t Improve Fitness, Study Finds

A new study reveals that standing desks do not significantly improve physical fitness or health, challenging their effectiveness as a solution for reducing sedentary behavior

As part of a workplace innovation movement to encourage improved health, many firms have gained popularity throughout the years by creating, manufacturing, and marketing standing desks.

Many executives, including Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, who previously referred to sitting as “the new cancer,” swear by them.

However, according to the Washington Post, a recent study involving over 83,000 adults discovered that standing for longer than two hours a day increases the risk of circulatory issues such as blood clots, varicose veins, and abnormally low blood pressure in addition to not protecting against cardiovascular risks.

There are only nine additional calories burned per hour when standing.

The researchers point out that excessive sitting is still an issue and that physical inactivity is undoubtedly unhealthy.

According to Emmanuel Stamatakis, a lecturer at the University of Sydney who oversaw the study, the solution is to move every thirty minutes or so. He tells the Post, “[M]uscular contraction is a necessary condition for any activity to maintain or improve health.”