More than one-third of office workers eat at least one meal at their desk every day.
Research by Alpro has found that many employees are failing to get out of the office during the entire day, despite the health benefits associated with getting some fresh air. Indeed, one-in-six of the 2,000 people questioned have both their breakfast and lunch at their desk.
Ten per cent of respondents said the reason they do not go out is that their employer expects them to be in the office at all times, while on-in-five believe that stepping out during their lunch break would merely draw attention to them.
Alpro dietitian Kate Arthur said the study highlights how “time-pressed workers” feel like they have no choice but to eat at their desk.
“While we accept that sitting down to eat in the workplace is becoming a regular occasion for an increasing number of workers, what concerns us most about these findings is that many workers’ diets appear to be based around foods that are high in saturated fat, sugar and salt, all of which are linked to poor long-term health,” she added.
Bacon sandwiches, croissants and muffins were picked out as some of the common foods that people eat behind their desk, with healthier options such as fruit, yogurts and smoothies are being shunned by many.
Workers using office space in London were found to eat the most meals behind their desk, with 20 per cent typically eating up to two meals a day in the workplace. Ms Arthur went on to note the trend is set to increase in popularity moving forward and because of this, employees should be considering a range of healthy options.
This comes after Dr John Buckley from the department of clinical sciences and nutrition at the University of Chester said that people can improve their health by standing up, rather than sitting down, while in the office.
