A treadmill desk or treadmill workstation is a working desk

Desk

A desk is a furniture form and a class of table often used in a work or office setting for reading or writing on or using a computer. Desks often have one or more drawers to store office supplies and papers. Unlike a regular table, usually only one side of a desk is suitable to sit on . Not all...

 built around a treadmill

Treadmill

A treadmill is an exercise machine for running or walking while staying in one place. The word treadmill traditionally refers to a type of mill which was operated by a person or animal treading steps of a wheel to grind grain...

.

A person using the treadmill desk walks slowly on the treadmill while continuing to perform office tasks at the desk. The aim of a treadmill desk is to integrate movement and gentle exercise into the working day of an otherwise sedentary office worker. Rather than sitting all day in a chair, a treadmill desk allows desk-based workers to stand and take a slow walk while working.
At slower walking speeds, most able-bodied people can undertake desk-based tasks such as typing or talking on the telephone.

The New York Times credits Dr. James Levine, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult patients . Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Mayo Clinic is known for being at the top of...

, as the popular inspiration for the treadmill desk. He developed the concept as part of his work with non-exercise activity thermogenesis

Thermogenesis

Thermogenesis is the process of heat production in organisms. It occurs mostly in warm-blooded animals, but a few species of thermogenic plants exist.-Types:...

, constructing a treadmill desk by placing a bedside hospital tray over a $400 treadmill. Dr. Seth Roberts, a professor of psychology from UC Berkeley

University of California, Berkeley

The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...

 designed a treadmill desk in 1996, and may be the earliest user.

There are several types of treadmill desks available on the open market. Some incorporate a traditional treadmill with a desktop built over it, while most are now commercially built for this specific use. The price of treadmill desks ranges from US$500-$4,500.

A treadmill desk is not typically used for a cardio workout, as most users find walking at a speed of 1-2 miles per hour the ideal range. According to a study by James Levine at the Mayo Clinic, users can burn an estimated 100-130 kcal per hour at speeds slower than 2 miles per hour. According to a 2007 Mayo Clinic study of office workers with obesity, "If sitting computer-time were replaced by walking-and-working, energy expenditure could increase by 100 kcal/h. Thus, if obese individuals were to replace time spent sitting at the computer with walking computer time by 2–3 h/day, and if other components of energy balance were constant, a weight loss of 20–30 kg/year could occur."

External links

• CNN's Edge of Discovery: Treadmill Desk
• Good Morning America: Walking While You Work
• USA Today: Researcher sees future where people walk at work
• Gelf Magazine: Could a treadmill/desk mashup be the solution to America's obesity problem?
• Forbes: Take Up Thy Desk And Walk
• Can sitting too much kill you?, commentary invited by editors of Scientific American
  Scientific American
  Scientific American is a popular science magazine. It is notable for its long history of presenting science monthly to an educated but not necessarily scientific public, through its careful attention to the clarity of its text as well as the quality of its specially commissioned color graphics...