Standing longer may not reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, but could increase circulatory problems

Standing has gained popularity among people looking to offset the harms of a sedentary lifestyle, often caused by spending long days sitting in front of the computer, television or driving the wheel. Standing desks have become a popular option among office workers, and in other industries like retail, workers may choose to stand rather than sit.

However, their efforts might not produce the desired result. New research from the University of Sydney has shown that in the long term, standing rather than sitting does not improve cardiovascular health (coronary heart disease, stroke and heart failure) and could increase the risk of related circulatory problems. when standing, such as varicose veins. veins and deep vein thrombosis.

The study, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology also found that sitting for more than 10 hours per day increased the risk of both cardiovascular disease and orthostatic incidence, reinforcing the need for greater physical activity throughout the day. Research also notes that standing longer is not associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Lead author from the Faculty of Medicine and Health and deputy director of the Mackenzie Wearables Research Center at the Charles Perkins Centre, Dr Matthew Ahmadi, said there were other ways for people with a sedentary lifestyle to improve their cardiovascular health.

“The bottom line is that standing for too long will not compensate for an otherwise sedentary lifestyle and could be risky for some people in terms of circulatory health. We found that standing longer does not improve long-term cardiovascular health and increases the risk of circulatory problems. problems,” said Dr. Ahmadi.

Although the researchers found that there were no health benefits to standing longer, they cautioned against sitting for long periods, recommending that people be regularly sedentary or stand for long periods of time. periods to plan regular movements throughout the day.

“For people who sit regularly for long periods of time, including lots of incidental movement throughout the day, structured exercise may be a better way to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease,” said Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, director of the Mackenzie Wearables Research Hub. .

“Take regular breaks, take a walk, walk to a meeting, use the stairs, take regular breaks when driving long distances, or use lunchtime to get away from the desk and do some exercise. “In Australia we are now entering the warmer months, so the weather is perfect for exercising out of the sun and helping you get moving,” he said.

Research by Professor Stamatakis and Dr Ahmadi published earlier this year found that around six minutes of vigorous exercise or 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per day could help reduce the risk of heart disease, even in people very sedentary for more than 11 years. hours per day.

The study was carried out using data on heart problems and circulatory diseases taken over a period of seven to eight years from 83,013 British adults who did not have heart disease at baseline, measured at using research-grade wearable devices, similar to a smart watch.