Office of the Future: Walk While Working

Nov. 29, 2007 — -- On the heels of research finding that fat-burning enzymes shut down while sitting, Mayo Clinic researchers believe they may have the cure for inactive 9-to-5ers chained to their desks: walking workstations.

According to experts, the walkstations, which resemble treadmills with computers attached, represent a bold new step by the medical community in an effort to fight the rising obesity epidemic.

James Levine, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic, came up with the walkstation idea about three years ago while talking to an ABC producer about new obesity research; it indicated that people with obesity fidget less and are more likely to sit than people who aren't obese.

During the conversation, Levine gave her four ideas to revolutionize offices. Six weeks later, he began putting them into action as part of his NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) initiative to transform offices into gyms.

"Support from the Mayo Clinic was unbelievable. People at Mayo said this is very important," Levine said. "They literally assigned 50 to 60 builders to do this, night and day. I would show up at 3 in the morning, people would be there painting walls, designing desks."

Fifteen years of research at the Mayo Clinic has shown that sitting all day long at the office is actually quite harmful to human health and that people who are obese tend to be seated two hours more than leaner people, according to Levine.

"We're chair-based. People being seated all day is crucial to why obesity occurred," he said.

Levine first tested the newly designed office with his own research staff for six to 10 weeks. Then he approached Steelcase to collaborate and develop walkstations that can now be integrated into any office.

"They call it a walkstation, I call it a dream for my patients," he said. "One can write manuscripts, talk on the telephone while walking one mile per hour. Patients with weight problems are burning 100 to 150 calories more per hour, potentially 1,000 more per day. That number is profoundly important."