You may want to stand up for this: Research shows that sedentary behavior causes or intensifies a wide range of health problems. Contrary to popular belief, physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are two distinct behaviors. A mounting body of evidence suggests total sedentary time is negatively associated with health risks like heart disease, diabetes, musculoskeletal pain, and abdominal obesity independent of “protective contributions of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.” To put it bluntly, no matter how much you exercise, if you spend the majority of your day sitting, you may be prone to serious health risks.
Several studies have validated that office workers spend the majority of their workday sitting down, with estimates of daily sedentary time (including sleep) reaching 11 to 16 hours a day. Because sedentary behavior is so prevalent during work hours, health professionals have pinpointed the workplace as a prime location to reduce sitting. Organizational leaders have taken note, with many companies providing active workstations to encourage more standing and movement in the workplace.
In response to active workstations’ growing popularity, researchers have designed experiments to verify whether or not these interventions are successful in decreasing sedentary behavior in the workplace. These experiments also frequently evaluate health measures like caloric expenditure, blood pressure, and heart rate, among others. Unsurprisingly, the adoption of active workstations has been linked to decreased time spent sitting at work, and has also demonstrated effects on employees’ health and well-being.
However, evidence on how active workstations impact employees beyond sedentary behavior is still emerging. Many employers, while intrigued by the established health benefits of active workstations, wonder if these non-traditional interventions might prohibit workers from completing normal work tasks.