The Sacramento Bee – Claudia Buck
“Can using a stand-up desk at school help prevent obesity in kids? Possibly yes, according to a study of 193 elementary school students conducted by researchers from the University of Louisville and Texas A&M University. The study, published recently in the American Journal of Public Health, covered third- and fourth-grade students at three Texas elementary schools. Some sat at traditional desks, while others used a “stand-biased” desk, which had a footrest and stool so children could get off their feet when needed. After two years, those at standing desks experienced a 5.2 percent decrease in their body mass index percentile than those using traditional school desks. (BMI or body mass index is a measurement of body fat and an indicator of obesity.) The rates were adjusted for grade, race and gender.”(more)