Reebok EasyTone shoes are “comfortable and stylish” was the verdict of an experiment carried out by one newspaper on several pairs of trainers that are meant to help people lose weight and add muscle tone.

The New York Times sent working mother Kathleen Boyd, who takes brisk morning walks on every other weekday for 45 minutes, to test five types of functional shoes – and leave her weights at home.

Miss Boyd found the EasyTone Inspire model designed by veteran athletic-shoe maker Reebok to be the most comfortable, breathable and stylish of the lot.

“The Inspire is a well-designed shoe,” she said.

Certified New Jersey pedorthist Louise Van Osten added: “Functional shoes do what they say they do, but theres a huge variance in effectiveness between models.”

The news comes after a similar review was conducted on Skechers Shape Up shoes by martial arts grandmaster Ted Gambordella, who concluded that the trainers can help people tone and firm their leg muscles.