Are you still sitting while working?
(Level: Upper-Intermediate / B2 / ***)



People do tend to be seated oftener than otherwise whether it is at home, in the office or in the car. But researchers have found that sitting for too long periods of time is simply ... unhealthy, even deadly.

So, why not just standing up oftener?

You are going to watch a BBC report focusing on the issue.

Sit-to-stand desk
Photo credit: forbes.com

Before watching


The following words could be useful:
health outcomes: results / consequences for the health      retombées sur la santé / résultats cliniques 
the bulk of the research: the major portion of / the greater part of      l'essentiel de l'effort de recherche / la majeure partie de la recherche 
to enhance: to increase / to improve  renforcer / améliorer 
a sit-to-stand desk: a standing desk/ a height adjustable desk    pupitre / bureau en station debout / poste de travail en hauteur / "bureau debout" / bureau adaptable en hauteur






While watching



Answer the following questions in French.

1. What have researchers come forward with as far as the use of standing desks are concerned?
2. What advantages could such a system provide schoolchildren with?
3. Standing all day could bring problems as well: what could be regarded as the ideal situation for an office worker or a student for instance?

You can also watch the video on the BBC site by clicking HERE















When you are finished, you can check your answers.


1

Les bureaux en station debout offrent une alternative à la station assise encore trop typique dans la sphère du travail. En effet, des études ont démontré l'impact négatif de la station assise prolongée sur la santé (risque de diabète; certains cancers; l'obésité; maladies cardiovasculaires...) et privilégient donc l'introduction de ce type de bureau ajustable en hauteur. 

2
Des aspects positifs pour leur santé. 
- Ils brûlent plus de calories en restant debout
- La station debout améliore leur condition physique
- On pense que cette position accentue leur concentration
- Le risque d'être diabétique est amoindri
...

3
Puisque rester debout en permanence apporte aussi son lot de problèmes de santé, il est dès lors recommandé d'alterner les deux positions!