British health authorities have warned that remote work may harm health by reducing physical activity and keeping people seated for long periods.
According to the medical community on the 13th, Sir Chris Whitty, the UK government's top adviser on public health and infectious diseases, pointed to the health problems associated with the spread of remote work as he unveiled new physical activity guidelines.
"People who don't go into the office are very likely to do little activity during the day beyond leaving their home," he said.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home has quickly taken hold in the UK. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), about 23 million people in Britain now work remotely.
The disappearance of the walking and travel that naturally occurred during commuting was cited as a major cause of reduced activity.
"Previously, people would routinely commute to work and do at least some physical activity, but now a fairly large number of people are very likely to do little activity beyond leaving their home," Sir Chris said.
However, he explained that there is not yet enough conclusive research to prove how remote work affects health over the long term.
"I expect that such evidence will emerge over time," he added.
The UK is considered a country with a high proportion of remote work even within Europe. According to research released last year by King's College London, 61% of Londoners were found to work from home at least one day a week.
Considering that the same figure was 37% before the pandemic, remote work has become entrenched as a routine way of working.
Recently, some large companies have been increasing office work again. John Lewis, HSBC, Morrisons, and Tesco have recently introduced policies mandating office attendance for employees or expanding the number of in-office days.
The new guidelines released this month by the chief medical officers of the UK's four nations focused on increasing physical activity not only among remote workers but across the entire population.
Currently, only about one-third of people in the UK move regularly for more than 30 minutes a day.
About 20 million people fell short of the minimum recommended standard of at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. About two in three adults were classified as overweight or obese.
The UK's National Health Service (NHS) has also prepared a reward system to encourage people to exercise.
Starting in January 2027, it plans to run an incentive program offering shopping vouchers, discount benefits, and free snacks to people who walk about 20 minutes a day.
The new guidelines report stated, "If physical activity were a drug, we would call it a miracle cure because of the huge number of diseases it can prevent or treat."
Sharon Hodgson, Minister for Public Health, emphasized the importance of small movements that can be practiced in daily life.
"Small changes such as walking to school, playing in the park, using the stairs, and being active at home can add up to significant health benefits," she said.
She added, "With the summer holidays ahead, I encourage families to seize the opportunity to move together and develop healthy habits that can last a lifetime."
