People who spend most of their work time sitting were found to be at least 16 percent more likely to die earlier than normal, for any reason, than were those who do not sit much while on the job, according to research published in the journal JAMA Network Open.
For those who predominantly sit at work, however, the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease (CVD) was 34 percent higher than for non-sitters.
The study, conducted in Taiwan, involved 481,688 participating workers, 20 and older (average age 39), who were tracked for about 13 years. None of the participants had a CVD diagnosis when they joined the study group.
The research also found that those whose work included a combination of time sitting as well as time standing or moving around did not experience an increased risk of early death, compared with those who were regular non-sitters.
Those who mostly sat at work and did little physical activity on their own time, however, were able to lower their risk for early death to the level of non-sitters by upping their leisure-time physical activity by just 15 to 30 minutes a day.
The study’s findings “help to strengthen the increasingly accumulating evidence linking a sedentary lifestyle and health risks,” the researchers wrote. The study suggests that beneficial workplace changes could include the addition of standing tables, activity-permissive work stations, more frequent breaks for employees, designated workplace areas for physical activity, company-sponsored group activities and gym membership benefits.
Others, including the Mayo Clinic, recommend taking a break from sitting every 30 minutes, standing up when talking on the phone and joining colleagues for walking meetings rather than sitting in a conference room.