Don’t stand up for yourself.
For a study has suggested that standing for too long does nothing to improve heart health and could even raise the risk of deep vein thrombosis.
Experts have warned for years that being stationary for too much of the day raises the risk of numerous health problems including weight gain, type 2 diabetes, cancer and even an early grave.
Yet Australian researchers have now claimed that standing more than sitting does not lower the likelihood of heart and vascular issues.
The scientists, who tracked the exercise patterns of more than 80,000 Brits, found standing for two hours daily did little to increase the chance of developing circulatory problems.
A study has suggested that standing for too long does nothing to improve heart health and could even raise the risk of deep vein thrombosis
While some warning signs are easy to spot — such as severe chest pain — others are more vague and hard to pinpoint
But the risk increased by 11 per cent for every additional half an hour after that.
Dr Matthew Ahmadi, an expert in population health at the University of Sydney and study lead author, said: ‘Standing for too long will not offset an otherwise sedentary lifestyle and could be risky for some people in terms of circulatory health.
‘We found that standing more does not improve cardiovascular health over the long term and increases the risk of circulatory issues.’
In the study, researchers analysed heart and circulatory data from 83,013 adults with an average age of 61, who wore devices on their wrists similar to a smartwatch to track their movements.
Over a follow up of seven years, they found around eight per cent suffered a cardiovascular problem, such as heart disease, stroke and heart failure.
Just over two per cent reported a circulation issue, such as varicose veins or deep vein thrombosis.
Their risk of circulation problems was significantly higher even after just a few hours standing, the researchers said.
By contrast, the risk of circulation problems fell slightly between six and 10 hours of sitting.
Every additional hour sat above ten hours increased the likelihood of circulatory problems by 26 per cent.
Staying stationary for over 12 hours also raised the risk of cardiovascular diseases by 13 per cent per hour.
Writing in the International Journal of Epidemiology, scientists concluded that sitting for long periods was bad for health.
But they also advised that people wanting to cut their risk of cardiovascular diseases should exercise more regularly rather than rely on standing for long periods each day.
Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, an expert in population health at the University of Sydney and study co-author said: ‘For people who sit for long periods on a regular basis, including plenty of incidental movement throughout the day and structured exercise may be a better way to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
‘Take regular breaks, walk around, go for a walking meeting, use the stairs, take regular breaks when driving long distances, or use that lunch hour to get away from the desk and do some movement.’
It comes as data earlier this year revealed that premature deaths from cardiovascular problems, such as heart attacks and strokes, have hit their highest level in more than a decade.
Cases of heart attacks, heart failure and strokes among the under-75s had tumbled since the 1960s thanks to plummeting smoking rates, advanced surgical techniques and breakthroughs such as stents and statins.
But now, rising obesity rates, and its catalogue of associated health problems like high blood pressure and diabetes, are thought to be one of the major contributing factors.
Slow ambulance response times for category 2 calls in England — which includes suspected heart attacks and strokes — as well as long waits for tests and treatment have also been blamed for the rise, which is also being felt in younger adults.
Despite claims from anti-vaxxers, cardiologists say fears that Covid vaccines might have fuelled an increase in heart problems are way off the mark.
