With sitting frequently dubbed ‘the new smoking,’ a team of scientists have sought to tackle sedentary habits in the workplace through the use of innovative ‘pedal desks’.

Idleness in the office has become a growing concern for employers, who are placing increasing importance on employee wellness. A recent survey found that 80 per cent of office workers feel they spend too much time sitting down, while research has shown that every hour spent sitting cancels out 30 minutes of exercise, with sedentary behaviour also linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancers and poor mental health.

Eager to find a solution which can keep employees active without disrupting the demands of modern working, a scientists at the University of Iowa examined the impact of giving office workers a portable pedaling device that can sit under their desk.

Workers taking part in the trials were able to keep active throughout the day without needing to regularly leave their desks. Unsurprisingly, the study also found that workers who pedaled more were more likely to report weight loss, improved concentration while at work, and fewer sick days than co-workers who pedaled less.

Through multiple experiments, lead author Lucas Carr has been able to refine the proposition, having found that workers are more likely to use a device if is both discrete and theirs alone to pedal.

"We wanted to see if workers would use these devices over a long period of time, and we found the design of the device is critically important," said Carr, whose study appeared this month in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

“Another essential component was privacy. Place a high-end exercise bike or treadmill desk in the hall as a shared device, and very few employees will use them.”

In Carr's most recent study, 27 employees working in Iowa volunteered to have an activeLife Trainer pedal device placed under their desk. An activity monitor connected to the pedaling devices tracked each participant's daily pedal time, which averaged 50 minutes a day over 16 weeks.

In addition, participants were sent three emails a week, providing them with tips for how to move more at work and reminders to shift their posture and stand on a regular basis. At the end of the study, 70 per cent of participants chose to keep their pedaling device.

"This is something that could be provided to just about any employee, regardless of the size of their company or office," added Carr.

"It's right at their feet, and they can use it whenever they want without feeling self-conscious in front of their co-workers."