Researchers at the University of Exeter and University College London report on movement and likelihood of death. Their findings were published in the “International Journal of Epidemiology” and have “challenged claims that sitting for long periods increases the risk of an early death even if you are otherwise physically active.” Researchers “followed more than 5000 participants for 16 years…and found that sitting, either at home or at work, is not associated with an increased risk of dying. These findings challenge previous research suggesting that the act of sitting itself causes harm even when people routinely walk a lot or do other exercise.” Dr. Melvyn Hillsdorn stated that “’Our study…indicates that the problem lies in the absence of movement rather than the time spent sitting itself. Any stationary posture where energy expenditure is low may be detrimental to health, be it sitting or standing. The results cast doubt on the benefits of sit-stand work stations, which employers are increasingly providing to promote healthy working environments.’”
“Sitting for Long Periods Not Bad for Health.” 2015. Press release, University of Exeter, http://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/featurednews/title_476860_en.html.
Sally Augustin, PhD, a cognitive scientist, is the editor of Research Design Connections (www.researchdesignconnections.com), a monthly subscription newsletter and free daily blog, where recent and classic research in the social, design, and physical sciences that can inform designers’ work are presented in straightforward language. Readers learn about the latest research findings immediately, before they’re available elsewhere. Sally, who is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, is also the author of Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture (Wiley, 2009) and, with Cindy Coleman, The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design (Wiley, 2012). She is a principal at Design With Science (www.designwithscience.com) and can be reached at sallyaugustin@designwithscience.com.