Is Your Desk Job Bad for Your Health?

Should you go high-tech?
What about walking while you're working? You can shell out $4,200 for a Walkstation, a low-speed commercial-grade treadmill with a desk attached. You can also make your own treadmill desk; there are a host of blogs by work-walking aficionados ready to offer advice, and even a social network of work-walkers called Office Walker.

When Walkstation first came out, in 2007, several companies gave it a whirl, including GlaxoSmithKline, Best Buy, and Humana. 'We did pilot them here,' says Joseph Henry, MD, senior director of health and well-being at AstraZeneca. 'There was a lot of initial excitement.'

But for a company that takes pride in its employee health and wellness resources, Dr. Henry adds, this approach didn't seem like the right way to go. 'We thought it might send the message that you're not to leave your desk, you're chained to your desk. We'd rather that they actually get up from their desk and take a break from their work instead of being stuck at their desk all day.'

When they have to work at their desks, AstraZeneca's employees can request an exercise ball to sit on. They're also free to take walks around the company's 150-acre campus, Dr. Henry says, and are encouraged to hold meetings while walking.

Gavin is also making a point of getting to the company's on-site gym three times a week.

'I've found that the more I move, the better I get,' Gavin says. 'If you're sitting it's just not normal because your body wants to move; we're made to move.'