Mini-exercise at work dumps mega-pounds

So does Dr. James Levine, a Mayo Clinic obesity researcher in Rochester, Minn., who rattled off two sobering statistics: Ninety percent of Americans don't work out regularly, and at least half of workers sit in front of a computer most of the day.

Motivated by research that shows a substantial cumulative effect of long-term, low-impact movement on weight control, Levine is looking to bring optional exercise not just into the workplace but into your personal workspace.

A year ago, he rigged his desk so he could stand and walk slowly on a treadmill as he reads e-mail, takes calls and works on his computer.

Ten other employees and the Mayo Foundation's president now use an enhanced version of the adjustable workstation, though it's just one aspect of Levine's focus on increasing routine physical activities around the office. He also created a track around the perimeter so meetings can be held on foot instead of seated at a table, a track that can be made with nothing more than carpet tape.

"The idea isn't to force people to walk and work," Levine said, treadmill motor humming in the background. "The idea is to give people choice because they've never had it before."

The urge to help workers overcome sedentary lifestyles is based on a scientific concept known as NEAT, non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or the energy spent on physical activities of daily living. The NEAT theory says there is more metabolic benefit from frequent fidgeting and small movements than from sitting still for days with an occasional hard-core workout.

In other words, no sweat but big possible health gains. By walking 1 mile per hour on a treadmill, a worker could burn 100 extra calories an hour, Levine said.

"We're talking potential weight loss of 30, 40 pounds a year," he said.

Evidence of NEAT's impact is growing. Lean people are in some kind of mundane motion an average of 150 more minutes per day than their obese counterparts, who burn 350 fewer calories, according to a comprehensive study Levine led that was published in January in the journal Science.

The problem for many people is a time crunch, he said. "How on earth is the modern American going to fit 2 1/2 hours of extra walking time in?"

Treadmill workstations cost $1,100, compared with a standard cubicle price of $2,000, Levine said. He's working with companies to develop a product that could be mass-produced.

The reasons to overhaul the conventional computer work setup are many.

Health costs are ballooning faster than employers and workers can manage, and yet work environments remain largely unchanged. Many employers' ergonomic and exercise programs are limited or have been cut back in recent years, potentially exacerbating health problems that can sap productivity or boost absenteeism.

Meanwhile, the nation's girth has been expanding. Two out of three Americans are overweight or obese, and fatness bodes poorly for individuals' risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

"The idea isn't to force people to walk and work. The idea is to give people choice because they've never had it before."

Dr. James Levine

Mayo Clinic obesity researcher