By Mackenzie Klahr
With the average workday longer than ever before and obesity rates rising ever higher too, the correlation between sitting all day and weight increase is a hot new topic of discussion. A product developed in Fishers called the TreadDesk addresses the problem.
The TreadDesk is very much like a treadmill, with the exception of having an adjustable desktop made specifically for walking while working.
Jerry Carr, the president of TreadDesk Inc. and the inventor of the machine said he came up with the idea when he switched jobs and began sitting for the majority of the day.
The machine is not intended to be a workout, but instead to prevent health problems and increase productivity in the work place.
A study done in Minnesota found that the workers who used the TreadDesk on and off throughout the day walking while working increased their productivity by 10 percent.
The speed is based upon a person’s stride and how tall they are. The fastest a machine will go is 4 mph while the general starting pace is 1 or 2 mph.
The majority of people who buy the machines do so to lose weight, but Carr believes the benefits are mostly mental.
“When you stand up and start moving, your blood flow increases and your brain is more engaged,” he said, “at the end of the day you’re more productive and get a lot more done.”
One of the company’s expressions is “sitting is the new smoking.” The mindset behind that phrase is that for a long time, many people did not know smoking caused adverse health effects.
“The more the general public is educated on how bad (smoking) was for you, the fewer people started to do it, now sitting is in that early stage as smoking was,” Carr said.
Jimmy Kimmel is one of many celebrities who use the TreadDesk. He has bought products for his house and work and has since lost 50 pounds.
Lawyers are the most common occupation to purchase their products, but customers range from students to at home authors who need the desk to prevent writers block.
Companies such as Google and Microsoft are large consumers of the product and create a space where employees have the option to book walking time throughout the day.
So far, approximately 8,300 desks have been sold nationwide. The company offers a one-week free trial especially for businesses in Fishers and the surrounding area so people who haven’t tried the TreadDesk can test out its success. Check them out at treaddesk.com.
