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INFORMATION ITEM <br /> r� <br /> 17 S2 <br /> 0 <br /> 4'F,rf Cato <br /> Orange County <br /> Asset Management Services <br /> Jeffrey E. Thompson, Director <br /> June 11, 2015 <br /> Memorandum to: Bonnie Hammersley, Orange County Manager <br /> From: Jeff Thompson, Director, Asset Management Services <br /> RE: Sit to Stand Work Environment Information Item <br /> Attachments: <br /> "5 Health Benefits of Standing Desks", Joseph Stromberg, Smithsonian.com <br /> "Walking Alive", Susan Orlean, The New Yorker <br /> Sit to stand environments involve office furniture configurations allowing either sitting or standing <br /> positions. Recent peer reviewed studies are concluding that standing in these environments has <br /> tremendous health benefits. Overall the ability to stand for a portion of the day leads to many benefits. <br /> There is growing interest among County staff on the sit to stand environment. Asset Management <br /> Services will collaborate with the Human Resources and the Health Department to provide information <br /> on the benefits of a sit to stand work environment. Staff will develop a matrix of product types that are <br /> available to departments and their staffs for consideration. Staff will also assemble options and <br /> associated costs for more intensive deployment of sit to stand environments as existing furniture <br /> depreciates and is replaced. <br /> Below are summary;benefits described by the research by Dr. Mark Benden of Texas A&M University <br /> (htte://sph.tamhsc.edu/eoh/faculty/benden.htmi): <br /> Health —The use of Stand-Biased desks has been shown to improve'blood flow, and increase calorie <br /> expenditure. This fights heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer and other issues such as overall better <br /> posture. A sit to stand desk leads to less discomfort in the back, neck and shoulders. <br /> Productivity—there are several studies with data supporting better thought process, extra alertness, <br /> better energy and better overall comfort. <br /> Mental Health— Increased collaboration, improved focus and attention. <br /> Body Chemistry—Recent research into sedentary behaviors have indicated health outcomes beyond <br /> calorie expenditure for reducing seated time, including improved metabolic profiles, improvements in <br /> high-density lipoprotein production, lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity, and blood glucose control. In addition <br /> to these findings, we have input that standing muscle activity causes isometric contraction of postural <br /> muscles which produce electromyographic and skeletal muscle LPL changes resulting in additional <br /> biomarkers for health benefits. <br /> P.O. Box 8181 * 131 West Margaret Lane^3rd Floor* Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278 <br /> Telephone:Area Code 919 245-2625 <br /> Fax: 644-3001 <br /> E-mail:jethompson @orangecountync.gov <br />