Office Treats Can Add An Extra 1300 Calories
It is all too common that unhealthy snacks are dotted around office spaces throughout the country. In the canteen, relaxation area, vending machine or break spaces. A little bite here and there has been shown to really add up.
A study conducted showed that 25% of employees had food from work once per week, with the average caloric intake being 1300 calories. Surprisingly it showed that 70% of this consumption came from free food such as birthday cake and other treats left in communal spaces.
Employees spend on average 8 hours each day in the workplace, making calorie intake easy to underestimate. Depending on the calorie intake you consume out of the workplace, these extra 1300 calories each day can lead to gradual weight gain over time.
It has also become clear that if free food is unhealthy, people are more willing to indulge.
Weight gain and obesity has been linked to seven of the top 10 leading causes of death. These include type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. It also has a detrimental impact on the long and short-term productivity within a workforce, leading to increased absenteeism.
How can this be improved?
Employee
- Request healthier snack options such as fresh fruit.
- Pack your own lunch and snacks to help avoid temptation. Your waistline, productivity and health will thank you for it.
- If you are in doubt about what you usually eat, keep a food diary for a week to gain a true understanding about what you usually consume.
Employer
- Create opportunities for health and wellbeing champions to drum up interest, knowledge and enthusiasm among the workforce.
- Instigate exercise classes during the lunch break or after work to counteract excess calorie intake and build stronger relationships among employees to improve workplace atmosphere.
