Walking workstations boost physical, mental health

Walking workstations can improve not only physical but also mental health during office hours, a new study has found.
Michael Sliter from the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) hopes the study encourages employers to examine methods to assist workers in healthy living.
"We found that the walking workstations, regardless of a person's exercise habits or body mass index (BMI), had significant benefits," Sliter said.
"Even if you don't exercise or if you are overweight, you'll experience both short-term physical and psychological benefits," said Sliter.
A sample of 180 participants was evaluated on boredom, task satisfaction, stress, arousal, and performance while completing work-related computer tasks across four randomly assigned workstations: seated, standing, cycling or walking.

The researchers found walking workstation participants had higher satisfaction and arousal, while experiencing less boredom and stress than the standing and sitting workstation participants.
In comparison, the cycling workstation related to reduced satisfaction and performance.
The study was published in the American Psychological Association's Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.