The quick facts on our sitting habits
EDLAB’s Education That Moves You project has shared many research sources showing the disadvantage of sitting and the ways in which you could change your habits for the better. But what exactly are the straight up facts?
Thanks to Natura Foundation, we can give you the quick facts on what research has shown so far.
People who sit too much...
- … are 112% more susceptible to developing diabetes
- … are 147% more likely to get heart and vascular diseases
-
… have a 49% more chance of overall mortality
-
… more often have high cholesterol, lower back pain, cancer or poor circulation
Why do things differently?
- Working while standing up helps you to burn calories and fights obesity
- People who work standing up are 46% more productive
- By finding a balance between sitting and standing, life expectancy can be extended by three years
- Walking 30 minutes a day helps you to take full advantage of these benefits, while sitting more than 10 hours a day makes benefits vanish in thin air
Do these statistics convince you to take a fresh look at your sitting behaviour?
Go to EDLAB's Education That Moves You project page.
Also read
-
UWC Maastricht students get a taste of education innovation at EDLAB
On 21 October 2025, EDLAB hosted students from United World College Maastricht for the second year in a row, as part of their Youth Social Entrepreneurship programme.
-
Supporting PBL development at Anton de Kom University, Paramaribo, Suriname
Anton de Kom University in Suriname invited EDLAB to support its move towards Problem-Based Learning (PBL) within the Faculty of Social Sciences. To meet this request, Annechien Deelman from EDLAB delivered a week-long programme in early October 2025.
-
Warming up the classroom: music, mindfulness, and reflection in PBL
Athletes must warm up and concentrate before any performance. Why, then, do we expect our students to instantly become active when they enter a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) session?