Marion R. Sills, MD, MPH

Alternatives to the traditional desk chair have become popular as increasing evidence shows that prolonged sitting increases heart failure risk and disability risk and shortens life expectancy. A review found that sitting time was independently associated with poor health outcomes regardless of physical activity. Alternatives to sitting have become a new industry:

A new Cochrane review of 20 studies of sitting-alternatives showed that (wait for it) you need to actually use the sitting-alternative to avoid sitting. A summary of the review is here.

The studies’ primary outcome measure was time sitting. They found, overall, that sit-stand desks, pedaling desks and treadmill desks do not decrease time sitting by much because people do not use them; thus, the desk chair alternatives were not expected to improve health status.

(This post = 2400 steps on my treadmill desk.)