Move it or lose it! Sitting at work is unhealthy!

William Atkins
Tuesday, 11 August 2009 18:01

Science - Health

A study by an Australian health care insurer and a health/medical research organization called "Stand Up Australia" found that most of the average workday is filled with sitting. Such a fixed, unmoving position is a contributor to poor health, and these companies want people to “Stand Up.”


According to the August 10, 2009 press release issued by Medibank Private, “Australian workers urged to stand up for their futures." Australian workers are risking their health by spending the majority of their workday sitting down.”

The study (Stand Up Australia) was conducted by Australian health care insurer Medibank Private and Australian health and medical research organization Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute.

Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute states on its Web site that it “… is Australia's first health and medical research institute tackling the deadly trio of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Our work extends from the laboratory to wide-scale community studies.”

Its own August 11, 2009 press release (“We’re sitting ducks at work”) provides further information on the results of the Stand Up Australia study.

In effect, the Stand Up Australia study concluded with four major points (which appear on the front page of the study’s Web site (pdf format)):

•    “Research into office-based, call centre and retail employee behaviours revealed that 77 percent of the working day is spent sitting.”

•    “Individuals who spend high amounts of time sitting at work also tend to spend high amounts of time sitting on nonwork days.”

•    “Participants in the study perceived they had much higher levels of physical activity than they did when measured objectively.”

•    “Prolonged sitting time in the workplace is an adverse health risk.”

Page two continues.