It’s the office canteen that is making you fat
Times of India 31.01.2019
Eatables People Get At Work Generally High In Empty Calories, Salt, Fat And Sugar: Study
Foods eaten in US workplaces — whether purchased in cafeterias, or available to employees for free — are usually unhealthy, say experts.
A survey of what working adults ate over the course of a week found that one in four people got food at work one or more times, and that it was generally high in empty calories, salt, fat and sugar.
These treats included pizza, soft drinks, cookies, brownies, cakes, pies and candy. They added up, on average, to nearly 1,300 calories per week, the study authors report in the ‘Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’.
“The majority of this is not from cafeterias or vending machines but offered for free at social events and meetings,” said lead study author Stephen Onufrak.
Onufrak’s findings are drawn from a nationally-representative sample of 5,200 employed adults who took a survey from the US Department of Agriculture in 2012-2013, which asked what people ate over a seven-day period.
They found that 23% of workers obtained food at work during the week, including 17% who got food for free and 9% who bought food. Among the top contributors to calorie totals in both cases were soft drinks, sandwiches, tortilla and other types of chips, donuts or pastries and candy.
As measured by a standard known as the 2010 Heathy Eating Index (HEI 2010), the workplace foods got an average score of 48.6, which is about the average score found in analyses of menu items at fast food restaurants.
While food obtained at work doesn’t represent the largest part of most people’s diets, about 11% of workers obtained food at work three times per week, and 5% of workers did so five or more times per week. That means millions of employees eat a large number of calories at work regularly, and it could be a significant part of their diet, the authors point out. “Some workers may grab a snack, but others may be relying on work as a major component of their diet,” Onufrak said.
Researchers are now looking at characteristics of worksite wellness programmes and how they can affect nutrition. For example, future worksite policies could create a “healthy meeting rule” that includes healthy options alongside pizza or cake, Onufrak said.
“It would be interesting to know more about the worksite food environment . . . and if worksites do offer more healthful choices but most workers are choosing the less healthful foods,” said Simone French, a researcher at University of Minnesota.
Eatables People Get At Work Generally High In Empty Calories, Salt, Fat And Sugar: Study
Foods eaten in US workplaces — whether purchased in cafeterias, or available to employees for free — are usually unhealthy, say experts.
A survey of what working adults ate over the course of a week found that one in four people got food at work one or more times, and that it was generally high in empty calories, salt, fat and sugar.
These treats included pizza, soft drinks, cookies, brownies, cakes, pies and candy. They added up, on average, to nearly 1,300 calories per week, the study authors report in the ‘Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’.
“The majority of this is not from cafeterias or vending machines but offered for free at social events and meetings,” said lead study author Stephen Onufrak.
Onufrak’s findings are drawn from a nationally-representative sample of 5,200 employed adults who took a survey from the US Department of Agriculture in 2012-2013, which asked what people ate over a seven-day period.
They found that 23% of workers obtained food at work during the week, including 17% who got food for free and 9% who bought food. Among the top contributors to calorie totals in both cases were soft drinks, sandwiches, tortilla and other types of chips, donuts or pastries and candy.
As measured by a standard known as the 2010 Heathy Eating Index (HEI 2010), the workplace foods got an average score of 48.6, which is about the average score found in analyses of menu items at fast food restaurants.
While food obtained at work doesn’t represent the largest part of most people’s diets, about 11% of workers obtained food at work three times per week, and 5% of workers did so five or more times per week. That means millions of employees eat a large number of calories at work regularly, and it could be a significant part of their diet, the authors point out. “Some workers may grab a snack, but others may be relying on work as a major component of their diet,” Onufrak said.
Researchers are now looking at characteristics of worksite wellness programmes and how they can affect nutrition. For example, future worksite policies could create a “healthy meeting rule” that includes healthy options alongside pizza or cake, Onufrak said.
“It would be interesting to know more about the worksite food environment . . . and if worksites do offer more healthful choices but most workers are choosing the less healthful foods,” said Simone French, a researcher at University of Minnesota.
REUTERS
UNHEALTHY CALORIES
UNHEALTHY CALORIES
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