Sir, – Office workers are endangering their health due to long periods seated at a desk, according to Mark Hennessy's recent London Letter ("Sitting down on job taking toll on health of British worker", May 29th).
In my view, the Government’s decision to increase the working week for public-sector employees here has exacerbated this health issue.
Women in particular are affected, as they form the vast majority of office-based workers in the public sector. Rather than working on in the evening to make up the additional hours, they have mainly opted to take a half an hour lunch break, with a sandwich at their desks.
While this means they can still get home on time to cook the dinner and spend time with their children, it also means that they don’t get up from their desk for the day.
Getting a walk or fresh air has been factored out. The belief that the more hours you spend at your desk the more productive you are has never been proved. The health problems being stored up for the future and the enormous cost to the health service in years to come are not being considered. – Yours, etc,
ANNA KIRBY,
Mallow,
Co Cork.