How do you stand on being too sedentary?

When was the last time you or your line managers held a meeting where people stood up throughout?

Uh-huh. We thought so. Stand-up meetings wouldn’t be in the repertoire of most teams or organizations.

And yet, according to a researcher at Ohio State University, they’d be really good for your people. Dr. Anup Kanodia, of the university’s Wexner Medical Center, says that when you sit too long, the enzyme that converts bad cholesterol into good cholesterol goes dormant. This effect, he says, is one reason why the very sedentary have more heart attacks.

If you feel your employees are sitting too much for their own good – and yours (think healthcare expenses) – you could:

• Encourage employees – voluntarily – to stand during meetings. (Those who are overweight or have conditions like arthritis shouldn’t be coerced.)
• Suggest that people stand while talking on the phone and/or during webinars.
• Encourage people to walk down the hall to answer a co-worker’s e-mail instead of responding electronically.

If the above efforts seem to be appreciated, use your wellness budget to buy equipment like adjustable sit/stand desks, treadmill desks and standing conference tables.

Source: medicalcenter.osu.edu