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| Office workers 'risk blood clots' | Office workers 'risk blood clots' |
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| Workers who spend excessive amounts of time at their desk could be putting their lives at risk, research suggests. | Workers who spend excessive amounts of time at their desk could be putting their lives at risk, research suggests. |
| The Medical Research Institute in New Zealand found they may have a higher risk of developing potentially fatal blood clots. | The Medical Research Institute in New Zealand found they may have a higher risk of developing potentially fatal blood clots. |
| The researchers found a third of patients admitted to hospital with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) were office workers who spent hours at a computer. | The researchers found a third of patients admitted to hospital with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) were office workers who spent hours at a computer. |
| The study will be published in the New Zealand Medical Journal. | The study will be published in the New Zealand Medical Journal. |
| People who work in offices are not actually getting up and walking around like they used to Professor Cary CooperLancaster University DVT is the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein, most commonly in the legs. | People who work in offices are not actually getting up and walking around like they used to Professor Cary CooperLancaster University DVT is the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein, most commonly in the legs. |
| The clots can travel to the heart, lungs or brain, causing chest pain, breathlessness or possible death from a heart attack or stroke. | The clots can travel to the heart, lungs or brain, causing chest pain, breathlessness or possible death from a heart attack or stroke. |
| The condition has been dubbed "economy class syndrome" because passengers sitting on long-haul flights without space to stretch out were considered as most at risk. | The condition has been dubbed "economy class syndrome" because passengers sitting on long-haul flights without space to stretch out were considered as most at risk. |
| The New Zealand team examined a sample of 62 people admitted to hospital with blood clots, and found 34% had been sitting at their desk for long periods. | The New Zealand team examined a sample of 62 people admitted to hospital with blood clots, and found 34% had been sitting at their desk for long periods. |
| In comparison, 21% had recently travelled on a long-distance flight. However, the researchers accepted that many more people sit at their desk for long periods, than travel on long-haul flights. | In comparison, 21% had recently travelled on a long-distance flight. However, the researchers accepted that many more people sit at their desk for long periods, than travel on long-haul flights. |
| Lead researcher Professor Richard Beasley said some office workers who developed clots sat at their screens for 14 hours a day. | Lead researcher Professor Richard Beasley said some office workers who developed clots sat at their screens for 14 hours a day. |
| He said: "Some of them were going three to four hours at a time without getting up." | He said: "Some of them were going three to four hours at a time without getting up." |
| Call centres | Call centres |
| Professor Beasley said the problem was most common in the information technology industry and in call-centres. | Professor Beasley said the problem was most common in the information technology industry and in call-centres. |
| Professor Cary Cooper, an expert in organisational psychology and health at Lancaster University, said he was not surprised by the findings. | Professor Cary Cooper, an expert in organisational psychology and health at Lancaster University, said he was not surprised by the findings. |
| He said people were working longer hours than ever before, and often not taking a proper lunch break, preferring instead to eat a sandwich at their desk while attending to emails. | He said people were working longer hours than ever before, and often not taking a proper lunch break, preferring instead to eat a sandwich at their desk while attending to emails. |
| "People who work in offices are not actually getting up and walking around like they used to," he said. | "People who work in offices are not actually getting up and walking around like they used to," he said. |
| "New technology has made it easier for them to do this. I think it is causing people physical trouble because they are not taking exercise, but also psychological trouble because they are not interacting with their colleagues, or teambuilding in a face-to-face way." | "New technology has made it easier for them to do this. I think it is causing people physical trouble because they are not taking exercise, but also psychological trouble because they are not interacting with their colleagues, or teambuilding in a face-to-face way." |
| DVT affects about 100,000 people and kills up to 1,000 people in the UK each year. | DVT affects about 100,000 people and kills up to 1,000 people in the UK each year. |
| A recent study by the Chartered Management Institute and Workplace Health Connect found employers are failing to provide adequate levels of health and well-being support. | A recent study by the Chartered Management Institute and Workplace Health Connect found employers are failing to provide adequate levels of health and well-being support. |
| It found fewer than one in five organisations conduct workplace health evaluations and fewer than half provide staff with ergonomic advice. |