Folks who worry they sit too much at work may consider getting a standing desk New research shows that simply standing instead of sitting won't bring a heart health benefit, and may even hurt Getting active is the real healthy alternative to sitting, the researchers said THURSDAY, Oct. 17, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Got yourself a standing desk because you know sitting is unhealthy? It might be the wrong move, new research suggests. The study of over 83,000 British adults who wore special movement monitors on their wrists found no benefit to exchanging sitting for standing, in the absence of actual movement or exercise.

In fact, prolonged standing might even be detrimental to the heart, upping the odds for issues like varicose veins or leg clots known as (DVT), Australian researchers said. “The key takeaway is that standing for too long will not offset an otherwise sedentary lifestyle and could be risky for some people in terms of circulatory health," said study lead author said. "We found that standing more does not improve cardiovascular health over the long term and increases the risk of circulatory issues,” according to Ahmadi, who is deputy director of the Charles Perkins Centre’s Mackenzie Wearables Research Hub at the University of Sydney.

None of the new findings mean that folks should dismantle their standing desks and go back to sitting, however. Instead, work more movement into your day, the team said. “For people who sit for long periods on a regular basis, .