Edinburgh University activity researchers get moving on sedentary work habits

“Middle-aged workers spend more time sitting down than OAPs” is the headline all over today’s press. That’s not news to us at Sit-Stand.Com, of course! As sponsors of the Active Working Summit, we are more than familiar with statistics that show the prevalence of the ‘sitting disease’.

But there is good news too: sales of our standing desks continue to soar, as increasing numbers of workers and bosses recognise the value of an active working day. Our easy-to-use Yo-Yo Desk® is now the UK’s fastest selling sit-stand desk.

The BBC reports that “Researchers at the University of Edinburgh found 45 to 54-year-old Scots spend on average 7.8 hours per weekday sitting down. That compares to 7.4 hours of sedentary time for the over-75s.”

The study was carried out by the University of Edinburgh’s Physical Activity for Health Research Centre. And it is gratifying to know that they are already practising what they preach: the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre is a satisfied Sit-Stand.Com customer.

Lead researcher Tessa Strain (who will be among the keynote speakers at next year’s Active Working Summit) said: "We need to tackle high levels of sedentary time in early and middle age, when patterns may develop.

"Our findings suggest that changing habits in the workplace could be an appropriate place to start, given how much time we spend sitting there every day."

The Yo-Yo Desk® is now Europe’s most popular desk riser: simple to use, stylish, and low-cost it makes active working simple and accessible for every workplace.

Our head of Business Development Rik Mistry said: “It is worrying that so many of us are still engaging in sedentary behaviour, but we see hope for workers’ health in ever rising sales of our products which make it easy and affordable for every employee to kick the seated working habit.”