Standing sheds pounds

 The harmful effects of prolonged sitting are well established. New research suggests that spending more time on your feet, perhaps at a standing desk, is not only healthier—it can also help people lose weight. After analyzing 46 studies involving more than 1,000 people, scientists at the Mayo Clinic found that standing burns 0.15 calories more per minute than sitting. This seemingly insignificant difference can have notable effects over time. Six hours of standing would burn an extra 54 calories per day. After one year, this could amount to a loss of 5.5 pounds. Those who keep it up for an additional three years could shed up to 22 pounds, the Los Angeles Times reports. “Standing for long periods of time for many adults may seem unmanageable, especially those who have desk jobs,” says study author Francisco Lopez-Jimenez. “But for the person who sits for 12 hours a day, cutting sitting time to half would give great benefits.”