According to a recent study conducted by experts from the Wellingdon hospital in New Zealand, desk jobs are potentially life threatening, and pose a serious health hazard for employees who work all day hunched on swanky chairs. The findings of the study, published in the Journal of Royal Society of Medicine, have come as a shock to millions of office-goers across the world. Desk jobs, many opine, are safer and healthier than jobs that require being out in the field. But the study is likely to put things in perspective and bring about a major change in attitudes. The stunning findings of the study reveal that those working on desks for more than six hours a day are doubly prone to developing blood clots in the calf muscle, which is the main cause of serious heart ailments like Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism (PE). The research was carried out by a group of medical experts headed by Richard Beasley, and highlighted the condi tion of Seated Immobility Thromboembolism, or SIT in modern day jobs. Says eminent cardiologist Dr R.K. Caroli, "Blood clots are formed in the legs after prolonged hours of sit ting without movement, like during long distance flights and desk jobs. They cause the flow of blood to slow down considerably, and affect the main artery of the lungs. This causes massive pulmonary embolism, which can result in instanta neous death. Desk jobs can hence, definitely be lethal, and I support the findings of the report." Health hazards associated with office life had previously come into limelight when a study conducted by the Which? magazine had found alarming levels of germs and bacteria present on the keyboard of a computer. Reportedly, a majority of the sampled keyboards were found containing more microbes lurking in them than a toilet seat. Lethal bacteria like E.Coli were also found present in the keyboards, which raised major health concerns. Desk jobs are also known to increase lethargy and fat in a person due to low levels of movement. Many serious back problems, sore throats, eye-related disorders and headaches are now synonymous with desk jobs and are considered a part of office life by many employees. Says Rahul Mohapatra, a call centre executive, "I have been suffering from chronic back problems for the past couple of years, and the pressure of the job is certainly taking a toll on me. But I never imagined that my job could be potentially fatal. I sit for a stretch of 6 to 7 hours without a break everyday. Now I will change my work habits completely. The findings are definitely shocking and certainly an eye opener for me. Though my job is great and I enjoy working, health comes first." Clearly, desk jobs are a leading cause of severe health problems which are getting increasingly common amongst the employees, according to reports. So, how can one balance a desk job and still maintain a healthy lifestyle? Says Dr Rita Bakshi, "To prevent DVT and Pulmonary Embolism, I suggest that employees keep flexing their legs while they are sitting. Clots are formed when the leg is static for a long time, and hence they should take regular breaks and move around after every two hours. She adds, "It is observed that most people sit slouched on the seats, which aggravates back problems. They should hence sit in the correct posture, and should regularly blink to protect the eyes. Small measures like these are easy to take, and go a long way in preventing such common ailments."