It’s no secret that sitting at your desk all day won’t exactly improve your health, but according to a professor at Louisiana State University the downsides are more serious than once thought.
“If you sit for most of the day, compared to someone who doesn’t, you have a 40% elevated risk of dying of cardiovascular disease,” said Peter Katzmarzyk, an expert in the field of physical activity and obesity.
Katzmarzyk is currently discussing the topic with students at the University of Manitoba.
He said there is no magic number as to how long a person should sit each day.
“Whatever you are doing now try to reduce it, try to stand up and get moving,” Katzmarzyk added.
Chelsea White, an athletic therapist, finds herself telling many patients, "it's not actually that time you bent over and picked up the sock.”
White treats people who suffer from lower back pain and disc injuries associated with sitting too much.
“It was all those hours sitting at a desk in a poor position that caused the disc to work its way out and that sock was the straw that broke the camel’s back essentially," she added.
While studies show working at desks that allow people to stand up improve posture and reduce long term health problems, it's not yet known if it makes the employee more or less productive.
"We have some studies that will answer that question, we don't have the full answer yet," said Katzmarzyk.
He recommends walk-and-talk meetings, going outside for lunch and standing during conference calls as ways to get out of your chair.
