Why Treadmill Desks?

Sitting has been independently associated with mortality, regardless of exercise level.

A 13-year study found that women who sat for 6 or more hours a day were 94% more likely to die earlier during the study than those who sat for 3 hours a day.

Women who sat the most were 3 times more likely to die from heart disease as those who sat the least, regardless of exercise level.

Men who sat more than 23 hours per week had a 64% higher chance of dying from heart disease than men who sat less than 11 hours per week.

The risks of sitting have been proven for very large sample sizes.

In a studies involving of over 4,500 people, nearly 9,000 people, and a whooping 240,000 people, sitting has been independently associated with increased mortality at a younger age and higher risk of cardiovascular disease regardless of physical activity levels.

As Mayo Clinic Cardiologist Martha Grogan explained:

For people who sit most of the day, their risk of heart attack is about the same as smoking.

Have you put on weight since you started working a desk job? Even if you are physically active, sitting all day can cause you to pack on the pounds.

On average, you burn one calorie a minute while sitting, and the rate at which you produce fat-burning enzymes drops by 90%.

As the body becomes worse at getting rid of fats and sugars, it becomes easier to gain weight – particularly around your middle where it’s most dangerous.

This all happens quickly. In one study, men who typically walked a lot reduced their activity by taking the elevator and driving to work. Their bodies were worse at metabolizing sugars and fats in just two week.

That pudge over your belt isn’t just unattractive. It’s an early warning sign that diabetes might be in your future.

Diabetes is a devastating chronic disease that can lead to blindness, amputations, and early death. Developing diabetes or becoming obese also typically increases sedentary behavior - creating a vicious cycle of physical and mental unhealthiness.

Cardiovascular disease, cancer, and metabolic syndrome are just some of the other health problems that can stem from too much sitting.

And no one needs a research study to confirm that sitting all day just doesn’t make you feel good. Sometimes it’s that slow start in the morning where no amount of coffee will do the trick. Or maybe it’s falling asleep on your keyboard after a big lunch. Then there’s that feeling of exhaustion at the end of the day even though you didn’t do anything active. Yep, sitting sucks.

Many employers now think of sitting as an occupational hazard that cannot be ignored. The American Medical Association recommends that employers “offer employees alternatives to sitting all day . . . to create a healthier workforce.”