Standing desks will improve productivity, study by University of Leicester in BMJ finds 

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Standing desks could improve work performance as well as aiding physical health.
Standing desks could improve work performance as well as aiding physical health. Credit: Getty Images/Getty Images

Opting for a standing desk could boost productivity, according to new research published in the British Medical Journal.

The study, led by experts at the University of Leicester, found that 43 per cent of those who swapped their usual seat for a standing desk reported their performance had improved after a year.

It also found that 52 per cent of those using standing desks felt more engaged at work after a year.

The research tracked 146 NHS staff who previously spent the majority of their day seated. 

A total of 69 continued with their standard work routine while 77 were put in an intervention group and were given sit-stand office desks.

The intervention group also went to an education seminar on the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle and set goals for standing time.

Working time spent sitting was measured at the start of the study and again three, six and 12 months later.

After a year, those who were assigned to the intervention group, sitting time was reduced by more than an hour a day.

Previously, experts have claimed standing desks could help office workers to lose half a stone a year and others claim that being on your feet is the best antidote to premature aging.

Standing workstations are becoming commonplace as workers become aware of the dangers of sedentary living.
Standing workstations are becoming commonplace as workers become aware of the dangers of sedentary living. Credit: Flickr

The new research follows last year’s report by Edinburgh University that highlighted some office workers are spending more time sitting down than pensioners.

It described large parts of the population as “dangerously sedentary”.

However standing workstations are becoming increasingly commonplace as workers become aware of the dangers of sedentary living, with companies like Apple offering standing desks to all their employees.

Earlier this year, an international study of more than 1,000 men and women found that standing instead of sitting for six hours a day burned an extra 54 calories daily - resulting in significant weight loss.

Read more: How to set-up the best home office work space for productivity in lockdown​