Working from home has you sitting all day until the work hours are over. You are confined to a designated work area and have remained physically inactive for long periods of time. You are carried away in doing your job responsibilities and sometimes you do not take breaks. Did you know that this practice, if you continue doing it, can put you at great risk?
In this article, we are going to talk about how sitting for so long can be detrimental to your health. Once you have read this, you might give your current practices a second thought. Tune in and do not tune out because we are opening your eyes and helping you change your old habits. Take this in and shift to a healthy lifestyle.
What Do Studies Say?
Even if you are physically active, raising the number of hours spent standing each day may reduce your risk of becoming obese, according to a new study published by the American Cancer Society.
The researchers looked at the relationship between standing time and obesity risk in over 7,000 patients ranging in age from 20 to 79. They looked at basic measures including BMI, waist circumference, and body fat percentage, as well as metabolic syndrome, a collection of risk factors for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
There was no history of cardiovascular disease, stroke, or cancer among the participants. Each participant completed questionnaires detailing how much time they spend standing during daily tasks such as work and household chores. This was combined with how long and how often they exercised, such as walking, biking, swimming, and cycling.
Men who followed the basic requirements for physical activity and stood one-quarter and three-quarters of the time were found to be 57 percent and 64 percent less likely to be obese, according to the findings. While the research did not prove that standing was the primary cause of weight loss, it suggests that being less inactive and standing as much as possible will help to boost your health.
How Sitting and Obesity is Related
According to a study of global body mass index (BMI) patterns, more than 640 million people are obese. The number of people with a BMI of more than 30 has increased to 641 million, up from 105 million in 1975. Obesity affects one out of every ten men and one out of every seven women. The BMI is measured by multiplying a person's weight by their height squared, and it determines whether or not they are at a healthy weight. Overweight is defined as a BMI of 25 or higher; obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or higher, and morbid obesity is defined as a BMI of 40 or higher.
Sitting is a major contributor to the obesity epidemic. Long periods of sitting are linked to a number of chronic diseases, including obesity and type 2 diabetes. Also, for those who exercise on a regular basis, this is so. Standing, on the other hand, is a simple way to avoid the harmful effects of sitting. If you get too comfortable in a chair for too long, it will hurt your joints. Sitting also becomes addictive. To make you live a longer and healthier life, you should start becoming more active. Standing can even contribute to that. Do this step to start that lifestyle check.
The study involved 7,075 healthy adults of both sexes between the ages of 20 and 79, and the findings showed that men who stood up for 14 hours or more a day had a 32 percent lower risk of obesity.
Obesity risk was decreased by 59 percent in men who stood for 12 hours a day. The incidence of obesity was reduced by 35 percent in women who stood for 14 hours a day. They also found out that obesity was decreased by 57 percent in women who stood for 12 hours a day.
According to other studies from the University of Glasgow's Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, those who sit the most have a 112 percent higher relative risk of diabetes and a 147 percent higher relative risk of cardiovascular events than those who sit the least. The risk of death from any cause has also risen by 50%.
How Can We Fight Obesity?
There are currently programs underway to combat childhood obesity by introducing standing desks in classrooms. A research published in the American Journal of Public Health showed that students who used standing desks burned 17 percent more calories than those who used sitting desks.
The impact was even more pronounced in overweight or obese children. In comparison to the control group, they consumed 32% more calories. Changing a person's actions at a young age will potentially carry over into adulthood and enhance their overall well being.
Little Ways We Can Do for Obesity Prevention
As a work from home professional, you want to remain active even while juggling different responsibilities. You want to lower the risk of being prone to weight gain and obesity. You can counter that and start by making sure you have the essential workplace equipment that can help you work and stay active.
FlexiSpot offers different kinds of ergonomic products that you can explore. They have desk bikes like the Sit2Go 2-in-1 Fitness Chair or a standing desk like the Adjustable Standing Desk Pro Series. Whatever you prefer, just make sure that you are being more physically active than in your typical office setting.
Conclusion
Obesity is a major global threat. Simple behavioral improvements, such as standing rather than just sitting at work, can help combat the obesity risks associated with sitting. Why would not anyone want to participate in it? If your wellbeing is important to you, you can try a FlexiSpot sit-stand workstation. They have products that allow you to switch between sitting and standing at any time during the day with the push of a button. These cost-efficient but effective solutions will drastically improve your life.
