Being desk bound for long periods daily can affect you not only physically but also mentally. These claims come from new findings by Myanna Duncan, Aadil Kazi and Cheryl Haslam, professor at Work and Health Research Centre, Loughborough University, also showed that more time spent sitting at work was tied with decrease in mental well-being.

Researchers surveyed over 1,000 employees measuring their uses and experiences of occupational health services and their physical activity levels. In the UK, there are now twice as many workers aged 50 and over as there are aged 25 or younger, and with the abolition of the DRA this number will continue to grow.

Duncan said "people don't need psychologists to tell the to get up and walk around. But if it helps, I'd tell them to put a post-it note on their computer to remind them. Anyway go and talk to your colleagues face to face, it's a lot more sociable and better for you than emailing them." These findings were presented at the British Psychological Society's Annual Occupational Psychology Conference, in Chester.