Health effects of sit-stand desks and interventions aimed to reduce sitting at work are still unproven

An updated Cochrane Review, published today in the Cochrane Library, says that the benefits of a variety of interventions intended to reduce sitting at work are very uncertain.Millions of people worldwide sit at a desk all day, and over recent years this has led to increased levels of physical inactivity in the work place. Health experts have warned that long periods of sitting can increase the risk of heart disease and obesity. There are a number of different approaches to reduce the amount of time we spend sitting down while at work. One option that is increasing in popularity is the sit-stand desk. These are desks that are designed to allow you to work at your desk sitting down or standing up.A team of Cochrane researchers updated a systematic review that looked at the effects of different strategies to encourage people to reduce the amount of time they spend sitting at work. They looked at 20 studies with a total of 2,174 participants from the US, the UK and Europe. They included evidence from both randomized and non-randomized studies.Although sit-stand desks are popular, their potential health benefits are very uncertain. The researchers found very low-quality evidence from three non-randomized studies and low-quality evidence from three randomised studies, with 218 participants, that people who used sit-stand desks sat between 30 minutes and two hours less, compared to when they used conventional desks during the working day. Sit-stand desks also reduced total sitting ...
Source: Cochrane News and Events - Category: Information Technology Authors: Source Type: news