2014 was a landmark year for American couch potatoes, according to the Physical Activity Council’s 2015 Participation Report. Researchers saw the highest level of inactivity out of the last six years. While school-aged children seemed to be the most active of any age group surveyed, about 20% of students indicated a lack of substantial, committed physical activity.
One proposed solution to student inactivity—at least in part—is a radical new classroom arrangement featuring “standing desks.”
Sitting for extended periods of time can be hazardous to your health, according to the American Medical Association (AMA), with studies linking excessive sitting to increased risks of heart disease and diabetes. Standing, on the other hand, makes your body perform work instead of resting in a chair, and so can be a form of light exercise.
And so, “standing desks”—workspaces designed in such a way as to accommodate standing users rather than those in chairs—have been increasingly in abundance, both in offices and in classrooms, and seem to be having a serious impact on student health. One federal study in central Texas compared students with standing desks to those given traditional seating arrangements, and found that students who stood for the school day burned 17% more calories on average than those who sat.
In light of the mounting evidence that it might be harming its students with traditional desks, Vallecito Elementary of San Rafael, California, partnered with local Crossfit gym owners to install standing desks in several of its classrooms. Juliet Starrett, co-founder of San Francisco Crossfit, told the FastCoexist blog that while stools were provided for students during the adjustment period from sitting to standing, most didn’t use them:
"In the very first class we had fitted, for the first two or three months the kids would trade off using stools, but then the stools would be off in the corner. What's interesting is that the first graders never used the stools—but by the time you get to fourth grade you're so accustomed to sitting that you literally have to train to stand."
Juliet also mentioned how standing desks, with the accompanying footrest bars, helped students diagnosed with ADHD. "These are kids who would have been punching and pinching their neighbors, or otherwise kind of acting out in class," said Juliet. "Not only does the research show a dramatic increase in concentration, but that's what our own teachers at our school have reported as well. Kids are way more attentive at a standing desk.”
After the success at Vallecito Elementary, Juliet and her partner Kelly Starrett started a non-profit, StandUpKids, designed to help schools adopt and invest in the new furniture. Visit their site for more information on the health benefits to standing desks.
Additional ISM resources:
Private School News Vol. 10 No. 9 Another Year, Same Battle: Fighting Childhood Obesity
ISM Monthly Update for Business Officers Vol. 11 No. 3 Fighting Obesity: Wellness Programs That May Alleviate Health Care Costs
Private School News Vol. 9 No. 8 Can Schools Help in America's Fight Against Childhood Obesity?
Additional ISM resources for Gold Consortium members:
I&P Vol. 28 No. 2 Reduce Health Care Costs: Keep Ergonomics in Mind for Faculty and Staff
I&P Vol. 37 No. 12 Key Advice on Shaping Your Employee Health Benefits Plans
