The alarming results of a 13 year study on Sitting and its effects on lifespan are very upsetting to read. Sit, sit, sit. It’s what a lot of us do all day long. We work in cubicles. We watch TV. We drive. We read. We stare at social media. Did I mention that we sit?

It’s not news that all this rump-resting is bad for your health, of course. But, a large study out of Australia puts a better perspective and numbers on how too much sitting increases the risk of death.

Women who were inactive and sat over 6 hours a day, were 94% more likely to die early.

Men who were inactive and sat over 6 hours a day, were 48% more likely to die early.

And no matter how much exercise the participants reported, sitting for long periods still raised the risk of death.

“Prolonged sitting is a risk factor for all-cause mortality, independent of physical activity,” wrote the authors of the study, which appears this week in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Their figures are based on questionnaires from 222,497 people in Australia. From 2006 through 2010, participants recorded how long they sat; the researchers then tallied deaths among the participants.

Sitting for prolonged periods every day accounted for 6.9 percent of the deaths of study participants, the authors from the Sydney School of Public Health at the University of Sydney report.



Questionnaire studies are not the best — they rely on folks to be honest, of course. But the huge number of participants increases confidence that the results are accurate.

Other research shows that sitting might lead to an early death due to increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and other disorders.

So what can be done about this sedentary sitting disease tsunami? Some office workers are turning to Multitable Standing Desks; I’ve seen some around the Post, and know a few other writers who love them.

A commentary accompanying the study by two other Australian researchers suggests more extreme measures, including workplace regulations. But it’s hard to imagine the federal government telling companies they mustn’t let workers sit too long.

“The good news, is that increasing light-intensity activity may be a feasible goal for many and offers great health benefits.”

“Light-intensity activity”: That’s academic talk for getting off your rear, or adding MultiTable Standing Desks and using them periodically during your day to stand up and work instead of sitting on your butt all day.

Read more here [1]

[1] http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-checkup/post/sit-at-your-peril/2012/03/27/gIQAx5q8eS_blog.html?tid=pm_national_pop

When you’re ready to stop sitting disease in its tracks and start living healthier and longer, MultiTable has the highest rating for standing desks, ergonomic accessories and customer service. Order your MultiTable standing desk now, and don’t be another statistic.