Association of Standing with Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality in Adults

Purpose of Review Physical activity guidelines and epidemiological studies are mixed regarding whether standing can reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. This review describes definitions and measures of standing, reviews prospective studies of standing with CVD risk and mortality, and discusses related cardiovascular mechanisms. Recent Findings Studies observe that, while higher all-day standing is associated with reduced mortality, higher occupational standing has adverse/null associations with subclinical or incident CVD. These differences may reflect distinct cardiovascular mechanisms. All-day standing is likely intermittent and volitional, whereas occupational standing is likely prolonged and obligatory. Limitations of the existing literature include suboptimal/variable measures of standing, limited length of follow-up, and methodological differences in populations and outcomes that preclude direct comparison of research studying all-day vs. occupational standing. The relationship between standing and CVD risk may differ across contexts. Future research should clarify the cardiovascular effects of all-day vs. occupational standing, including testing interventions.