A workplace push to reduce sitting time may not be cost-effective in the long run

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-06-30 10:15

Australia; NSW; VIC; QLD

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The cost of an intervention in the workplace trying to reduce the amount of time workers spend sitting is not likely to be cost-effective when it comes to savings on healthcare costs, according to Australian research. The researchers modelled three types of interventions - one targeting individual behaviour change with strategies including workshops and counselling, one facilitating changes in the physical workplace such as adding sit-stand desks, and one combining the two. They then estimated the likely success of these interventions and looked at previous research to calculate the reduced health risks that would come from the reduced sitting time the interventions would achieve. By their calculations, none of the interventions were cost-effective, and they say future research may need to consider other benefits beyond a reduction in sitting time to fully capture the impact on a workplace.