June/July 2016 (vol. 13/1)

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Measures to reduce time spent sitting at work

 A Cochrane systematic review of 20 studies on reducing sitting at work found low- to very low-quality evidence from six studies that sit–stand workstations reduced office workers’ sitting time by between about 30 minutes and two hours a day – though the health relevance of this remains questionable as little extra energy is expended. Sit–stand desks did not significantly affect work performance, musculoskeletal symptoms or sickness absence. There was inconsistent evidence on the benefits of active workstations, such as desks with treadmills or pedals, with only small or no impact on sitting time compared with controls. Two studies found no significant impact on sitting or strategies to encourage walking during breaks or meetings, and only conflicting evidence on whether or not prompting by computer reduces sitting time. Studies were generally of poor design.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016; 3: CD010912.doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010912.pub3.

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Occupational Health at Work June/July 2016 (vol. 13/1) pp40