Postmenopausal Women Aren’t The Only Ones Who Could Benefit From Frequent Standing

Postmenopausal women who stand an average of 25 times a day decrease their diastolic blood pressure by 2.24 mmHg when compared with women who do not, according to the results of the Rise For Health study published in Circulation last month.

Ideally, future versions of this study will include older women and men, observed over a longer period, according to lead author Sheri Hartman, Ph.D., professor and assistant dean of research at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health at the University of California San Diego. Rise For Health was a three-month-long study followed by a three-month-long observation period.

“I think the research is showing overall, regardless of age group, sitting all day long is not great for us, and I think this is something that can also potentially apply to younger populations,” Hartman said in a recent video interview with Managed Healthcare Executive.

The average American spends approximately 9.5 hours a day sitting, which can increase the likelihood of cardiovascular disease and even death, according to a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

The American Heart Association currently recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity weekly, which can be hard to achieve for older individuals.

“Giving people different ways that they can get up is always important,” Hartman said.