Are you sitting yourself to death?
Sitting is the new smoking. Many office workers, in particular, are in danger of sitting themselves to death and should urgently kick this unhealthy habit.
“A number of studies have indicated that there are a wide range of negative health implications to spending hours each day sitting, which hundreds of thousands of South Africans do in the workplace,” warns Dr Jacques Snyman, acting CEO of Agility Global Health Solutions (Africa).
A landmark study published in the medical journal Lancet, as long ago as 1953, looked at about 31,000 men, aged 35 to 64, employed as bus, tram and trolleybus drivers in London, and their colleagues who were conductors, mechanics, or railway guards. The drivers, who had more sedentary jobs, were found to have higher rates of coronary heart disease.
The UK’s National Health Service also warns that prolonged sitting is thought to slow metabolism, which affects the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, blood pressure, and break down body fat.
“As technology has, and continues, to take over those tasks that used to be performed by muscle, millions of people worldwide find themselves sitting behind a desk, gazing at a computer screen,” Dr Snyman observes.
“Many people mistakenly assume that going to gym for a few hours a week can counter the effects of sitting, however this does not seem to offset the risk.”
Debbie Valentini, General Manager: Marketing and Communications, Loyalty and Rewards at Zurreal and Agility Corporate, Agility Africa’s wellbeing and rewards offering, says that one need not spend a lot of money to make this healthy change.
“Before you take out a second mortgage to buy yourself a standing desk, test it out by going for a cheap option. All you need to do is put a box, or a small chest of drawers on top of your existing desk. You could also get creative with ordinary items around the office, such as a box of printer paper, to create your own standing desk.”
“At Zurreal and Agility Corporate we are all about finding practical solutions to problems, especially before they arise. Our proactive and innovative approach to wellness offers holistic solutions to keep the entire spectrum of the workforce happy, healthy and productive,” Valentini adds.
A study titled Sedentary Time and its Association With Risk for Disease Incidence, Mortality, and Hospitalization in Adults, which was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in January last year, concluded that: “Prolonged sedentary time was independently associated with deleterious health outcomes regardless of physical activity”.
The World Health Organization (WHO) cautions that physical inactivity can lead to heart ailments and other non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and certain types of cancer, and is estimated to be responsible for some 1.9 million deaths worldwide each year.
Rising levels of physical idleness are largely attributed to urbanization, greater use of cars, less space for walking or recreation in cities and, particularly, the shift towards desk-bound work. As awareness of the dangers of prolonged sitting has grown, this has been accompanied by a proliferation in the use of standing desks.
“However, standing all day comes with its own set of problems. Some people complain of pain in their backs or feet after standing for the whole day,” Dr Snyman observes.
Some ergonomics experts also warn that too much standing can cause health issues like varicose veins, and carotid artery disease, according to an article published in the Wall Street Journal in September.
“The solution appears to lie in a middle path: alternating between sitting and standing throughout the day. This way, you will get the benefits of strengthening your core muscles and boosting physical activity passively, without the discomfort and risks of standing all day,” Dr Snyman explains.
Dr Snyman urges office workers to take a stand by alternating between sitting and standing regularly throughout the day. “Listen to your body – when you begin to feel tired of standing, take a seat. When you feel rested, stand up again. Soon it will become a part of your routine and you will feel the benefits for years to come,” he concluded.
Ends
Issued by: MNA on behalf of Agility Corporate and Zurreal
Contact : Martina Nicholson or Meggan Saville
Telephone: (011) 469 3016
Email: martina@mnapr.co.za or meggan@mnapr.co.za
Author: Meggan Saville
Images: For high res version/s of One image/s please contact .
Photo: Agility Global Health Solutions
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