Time to get employees out from behind their desks and moving around the workplace. A recent study predicts the health gains from anti-sitting policies.
OK. So truth be told, the study, published in the online medical journal BMJ Open, doesn’t go so far as to suggest companies implement policies to keep employees on their feet at work. But it did say limiting sitting time to three hours or less per day could add two extra years to a person’s life.
In addition, if individuals cut their TV viewing down to two hours or less per day it can add 1.4 years to their lives.
The upside for employers is obvious: Healthier workers require less medical treatment and are cheaper to insure.
Of course three hours of sitting and two hours of TV viewing are some pretty lofty goals, but they underscore just how good getting up and moving can be.
And the workplace is where many individuals could experience the biggest gains in on-their-feet time.
The study looked at the habits of nearly 167,000 people.
Similar studies have also linked sitting and television viewing to an increased risk of developing conditions like heart disease and diabetes, reported BBC News.
Some other recommendations for individuals outlined in the BBC report:
- Get at least 2.5 hours of moderately intense aerobic activity every week (by cycling or walking fast, for example), and
- Do at least two sessions of muscle-strengthening exercises a week (by lifting weights or gardening).
