Do you have a sitting job? Having a pedalling desk can mitigate health risks such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease posed by a sedentary workplace and is better than standing desks, shows a study.
The study, led by kinesiologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, showed that insulin levels following a meal were lower when sedentary workers used a pedal desk compared with a standard desk.
In addition, work skills were not decreased in the pedalling condition.
“It took much less insulin to keep their blood sugars the same. This means that the body doesn’t work so hard to maintain blood glucose and fatty acid levels with use of the pedal desk compared to a standard desk,” said Stuart Chipkin, an endocrinologist at the US university.
“From the metabolic point of view, the pedal desk seems to be helpful and, from the work point of view, tasks were not impaired. Pedal desks could have the potential to achieve public and occupational health goals in sedentary work environments," he said.