Current Students and Staff

// University News

11 Jul 2014

Sedentary workers most likely to lead inactive lifestyles

People in the most sedentary jobs are the least likely to be active outside of work, according to a new study from Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences.

Researchers monitored 170 full-time office workers over seven days to record sedentary behaviour (or ‘sitting time’) both inside and outside of work.

Results showed people spend up to 70% of working hours in sedentary behaviour, and those who were most sedentary during the working day were also most sedentary away from work.

Sedentary behaviour has proven links to weight gain, obesity and chronic diseases including Type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Senior lecturer in human biology Dr Stacy Clemes said the findings highlighted the workplace as a key setting for sedentary behaviour, and underlined the importance of introducing workplace interventions to reduce or break up sitting time for office workers.

Read the full press release.