Do you spend so much time at the office that you wish working would burn calories? Well, maybe it can.

Switching evenly between sitting and standing over the course of an eight-hour day could result in an energy expenditure of as much as 56.9 calories for men and 48.3 calories for women, according to a study from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Education.

"Sit-stand desks are an easy way to get a boost in energy expenditure that fits into America's current office culture. By combining the act of standing for part of the day with other casual activities — say, opting to walk to the printer farthest away from your work area or choosing to use the restroom that's located a couple of flights of stairs away — you can achieve a meaningful amount of extra energy expenditure while at work that could aid in weight control," said Bethany Barone Gibbs, the study's lead researcher and an assistant professor of health and physical activity within Pitt's School of Education.

"It is important that we understand standing at work isn't going to burn as many calories as going for a brisk walk or a long run. However, our findings add to a growing field of research that shows the benefits of sit-stand desks, including increases in productivity and energy, and lower pain, blood sugar, and potentially blood pressure," Gibbs added.

Researchers found that, for most people, an effective measure for maintaining weight combines regular use of a height-adjustable workstation with other low-intensity activities. According to the study, if an individual were to stand for 30 minutes, then they could burn 5.5 more calories than if they’d been sitting for that time. Standing for the full hour burned an extra 8.2 calories, but switching evenly between sitting and standing was most effective for losing weight.

Source: Gibbs BB, Jakicic JM, Kowalsky RJ, Perdomo SJ, Grier M. Energy Expenditure Of Deskwork When Sitting, Standing Or Alternating Positions. Occupational Medicine. 2016.

Read more:

Sitting Interventions: Despite Promise, Standing Desks May Not Reduce Sedentary Lifestyle

Try This Sit-Stand Formula Every 30 Minutes To Avoid The Health Consequences Of Sitting All Day

RELATED STORIES