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Would YOU sit on this chair to live longer?

Two-legged design forces people to move - reducing risk of cancer and heart disease

 

 

 

The 'Inactivite' chair aims to encourage the user to move at their desk
French designer Benoit Malta was inspired to address the lack of physical activity after discovering office workers spend 70% of the day sitting down
The chair has just two legs and requires the user to balance it
Despite looking risky, the design prevents people from falling while using it
Study found sitting for longer than four hours increases a person's risk of chronic illness, including cancer, diabetes and heart disease

 

 

 

By Lizzie Parry for MailOnline

It is a growing health issue that threatens to trigger cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Sitting for longer than four hours a day increases a person's chance of suffering chronic disease.

 

Now, inspired to address the lack of physical activity in modern work life, one French designer believes he might have created the answer.

 

With just two legs, the 'Inactivite' chair relies on the user engaging the muscles in their core to keep it upright.

Benoit Malta, the man behind the creation, said he wanted to encourage movement for those office workers who spent around 70 per cent of the day sitting down.

Scroll down for video 

 

With just two legs, the 'Inactivite' chair relies on the user engaging the muscles in their core to keep it upright

The chair passively stimulates other parts of the body, in a similar way to an exercise ball, forcing the user to have better posture. French designer Benoit Malta said he was inspired to combat physical inactivity

The chair creates a slight discomfort, as the user has to keep shifting position to keep it stable.

It passively stimulates other parts of the body, in a similar way to an exercise ball, forcing the user to have better posture.

The chair is not meant to be sat in for long periods, just a couple of hours at a time.

Mr Malta worked with ergonomists and physical therapists to refine the structure, which took nine months to research and develop.

 

When the chair is not being used, it has to be propped against a wall or table.
And despite looking risky, the design prevents people from falling while using it.
'Our living spaces are conceived with the idea of time-saving and cutting down on physical activity,' said Mr Malta.
'Stationary behaviour is so common now, most people have little physical activity during the day.
'People watch a lot of TV and work on computers and many people suffer from spine and muscular problems because of this stationary behaviour. 

'Companies are coming up with products to make our lives easier, such as autonomous vacuum cleaners or other domestic robots, but trying to offer consumers an easier life creates lots of health problems

 

Mr Malta worked with ergonomists and physical therapists to refine the structure, which took nine months to research and develop

SITTING FOR FOUR HOURS A DAY INCREASES RISK OF CANCER 

A study published last year found those office workers who spend more than four hours a day sitting down are at greater risk of chronic illnesses, including cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Those sitting for at least six hours were significantly more likely to have diabetes.

The research involved 63,048 middle-aged men but U.S. scientists said the findings are likely to also apply to women.

Professor Richard Rosenkranz, who led the study at Kansas State University, said the more people sat, the bigger the health problems.

He said ‘We saw a steady stair-step increase in risk of chronic diseases the more participants sat.

‘The group sitting more than eight hours clearly had the highest risk.’

The latest study follows research in 2012 on 222,000 people which found sitting down too long increases your risk of dying within three years, even among the physically active.

'Our houses are becoming more and more comfortable and people would not imagine a house built with the idea of discomfort. 

'But discomfort can put the body in motion and out of its chronic stationary posture.

'The chair is an important part of your life, as most of us stay sitting for more than 70 per cent of the day. 

'The challenge of the chair was to propose a product which tried to encourage movement.

'I wanted to design a chair that had a visual impact but was also efficient on the human body.

'The structure of the chair was designed in order to prevent people falling out - the legs have been inclined 12 degrees relative to the vertical axis and the height of the back was designed to help prevent it.

'At the moment, the chair is a unique piece. I didn't design it to be sold by a furniture brand and mass produced.

'Design is not just about filling a gap in the market, the practice of design can be used to make people think about ourselves to change our behaviours.

'I hope it will encourage people to try to be more active.' 

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