This article was taken from the April 2014 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
According to data from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study, after an hour of sitting, the production of enzymes that burn fat in the body declines by up to 90 per cent.
But standing raises our base metabolic rate significantly.
Manufacturer TrekDesk says a treadmill-desk walking speed of 1.5kph will burn 2.6 calories per minute or 156kcal/hr. With office chairs making us tubby and unproductive, is a treadmill desk the solution, or just a corporate gimmick?
How we tested
Although their popularity is soaring across the pond, with the likes of Google and Microsoft investing in hundreds of units for their employees, there are only two viable treadmill desks available in the UK. We asked devoted standing-desk user Chris Haslam to walk while he worked for a fortnight to test the merits of both. He divided his days between desks and walked a total of 46km, burning in excess of 9,000 calories, falling off twice and spilling just one cup of really hot tea.
Office Fitness Treadmill with Height-Adjustable Desk
An affordable home-office solution, the standard-sized desk is solid and can switch easily from sitting to standing heights. The 36cm-wide treadmill runway has been specifically designed to fit alongside a chair. It's a great idea, but the narrow design felt like walking on a tightrope, and the lightweight 2kg frame tipped dangerously when Haslam stepped on to the side rails for a rest. As for using it as a running machine, its sub-10kph top speed means Wired wouldn't recommend it. Ever. If you want
a simple treadmill to help break free from the office chair, this is a cheap option -- but a brisk walk may be more enjoyable.
Wired
Affordable; robust desk; simple set-up
Tired
Underpowered motor; narrow runway; noisy
£946.80 (treadmill only, £298.80)
Spec Speed range: 0-10kph
Modes: Speed / time / distance / calories
Runway size: 98cm x 36cm
Desk height: 60cm-125cm
Max user weight: 120kg
LifeSpan TR1200-DT7
This is the full professional set-up with a high-torque treadmill displaying time, distance, steps and calories, all adjusted to weight. The automated, height-adjustable desk is controlled from a simple console. The treadmill is very quiet and its 50cm-wide runway lets you forget what your feet are doing and concentrate on work. It was perfect for checking emails and for web research. Walking while working soon became incidental, and knocking out a few km a day was smugly satisfying. The desktop app and Bluetooth meant it was easy to save session details and track progress -- an important and handy feature for multiple users in a busy office.
Wired
Exceptional build; accurate and comprehensive stats
Tired
Expensive; glitchy connectivity
£1,999
Spec Speed range: 0-6kph
Modes: Steps / speed
/ time / distance / calories
Runway size: 138cm x 50cm
Desk height: 103-135cm
Max user weight: 158kg
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
