Vertical work stations incorporate a treadmill that lets people walk while they work, setting the speed to suit their preference. Obese individuals could lose up to 30 kg (66 lbs.) per year, using the equipment, researchers said.

The H-shaped walk-and-work device has four locking rubber wheels, which make it easy to move the unit around.

Two adjustable arms are bolted onto a Plexiglass panel mounted on its steel frame. One holds the computer screen, while the other accommodates the keyboard and mouse. Slats provide storage space for personal items.

For the study, the researchers compared the amount of energy expended by workers seated at conventional desks with those using the walk-and-work station. All of the participants were employed in sedentary jobs. They were all obese, and none exercised regularly.

The scientists measured energy used working and walking for 35 minutes out of an hour compared to working while seated.

The volunteers who walked at a speed equivalent to just 1 mile per hour burned 191 calories, while those who sat burned only 72 calories per hour.

Obese employees could drop between 20 kg and 30 kg (44 lbs. to 66 lbs.) per year if they used the walk-and-work station for about two hours per day, boosting their energy expenditure by about 100 calories per hour, the study authors calculated.

Participants in the program wanted to keep using the equipment after the study was over. They found it easy to use and were able to work normally. And they suggest that devices, such as the vertical work-station, could help to reverse the rising tide of obesity.