If You Work in an Office, You Need to Stand More

Are you sitting down? If so, you might want to stand up before reading this.

According to a recent British study, office workers should stand for at least two hours a day. The new guidelines were developed by a group of experts and published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

In recent years, the hazards of sitting too much have suggested that people who spend most of their days seated are more likely to be fat, have heart problems, cancer and even die earlier. People who sit for long stretches are also more prone to joint stiffness and back pain.

"Even if you're meeting your physical activity guidelines, you cannot undo the risks of prolonged sitting,"

Gavin Bradley, director of the campaign group Get Britain Standing and one of the authors of the study, says they found that the majority of office workers sit for more than half of their work day.

"People who sit the most have more than twice the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, a 13% increased risk of cancer and a 17% increased risk of premature death, compared to those who sit the least."

Experts recommend office workers start with two hours of standing or light activity, eventually doubling that to four hours throughout their work day.

Bradley concludes by saying,

"We've sat on this problem for far too long."

(Associated Press)