Most Americans have to sit all day at work, and they despise it. A new survey commissioned by Ergotron, manufacturer of furniture and mobility products, found that employees hate sitting, yet 86 percent do it all day, every day. But what motivates them to stand up? Don’t tell Michelle!
Some results of Ergotron’s second survey in 3 years about the effects of sitting for office workers would shock our First Lady, who is advocating healthy food and exercise for Americans.
More than half (56 percent) of respondents said the main reason they get up from their desks is to get food! And we are pretty sure that they aren’t going out to a vegetable garden but rather to the vending machine or the store on the corner.
On top of all of that sitting at work—and during commuting—the respondents indicated they:
- Sit another 1 to 2 hours while watching TV (36 percent)
- Use their home computer for 1 to 2 hours (29 percent)
- Lounge for 1 to 2 hours for things such as reading (25 percent)
- Game another 1 to 2 hours (10 percent)
In total, Americans are sitting an average of 13 hours a day and sleeping an average of 8 hours, resulting in a sedentary lifestyle of around 21 hours a day.
While Americans know about the importance of exercise, only 31 percent go to the gym, and 56 percent devote less than $10 per month to staying active. However, 96 percent would be willing to stand more to improve their health or life expectancy, and 30 percent even responded that they would rather go without coffee for a week to stand.
The survey also found that the vast majority (93 percent) didn’t know what “sitting disease” is, but 74 percent believe that sitting too much could lead to an early death. The term “sitting disease” has been coined by the scientific community and is commonly used when referring to metabolic syndrome and the ill effects of an overly sedentary lifestyle. Just last month, the American Medical Association adopted a policy recognizing potential risks of prolonged sitting and encouraging employers, employees, and others to make available alternatives to sitting.
“Research is showing links between sedentary lifestyles and diabetes, several types of cancer, obesity, and cardiovascular disease,” said Jane Payfer, an Ergotron spokesperson. “There is a significant opportunity for people to change their behavior in the workplace and for corporations to change their cultures. Standing increases energy, burns extra calories, tones muscles, improves posture, increases blood flow, reduces blood sugar levels, and ramps up metabolism. Frequently overlooked, standing more is the simplest, easiest change someone can make.”
An infographic illustrating the survey findings can be viewed at JustStand.org.