Foods widely available at workplaces in the United States: benefit or risk?

Nearly a quarter of employed adults consume food and beverages at work at least once a week, according to a new study from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Foods obtained at work are often high in calories, refined grains, added sugars and sodium.

Using data collected in 2012-13 from the large nationally representative survey on food acquisition and purchase (FoodAPS), CDC investigators found that 23.4% of Study participants were getting food at least once a week at work. The average number of weekly calories obtained was 1,292 and, in general, food consumed at work did not correspond well to Dietary guidelines for Americans.

"Employers can offer attractive, healthy options in cafeterias, vending machines, social events and meetings," said Stephen J. Onufrak, Ph.D., CDC Principal Investigator, Researcher at the Nutrition, Fitness and Obesity Division of CDC Atlanta, GA, USA. "One way to do this is to incorporate food service guidelines and healthy meeting rules into workplace wellness efforts."

Improving the nutritional quality of foods eaten at work can be a key element of workplace wellness efforts. Obesity and poor quality of diet are important risk factors for chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. These diseases represent seven of the top ten causes of death in the United States and their treatment accounts for 84% of the cost of health care. In 2010, almost three in ten adults employed were obese. Adults with a job with obesity reported lower fruit and vegetable consumption and less physical activity than normal weight adults.

With approximately 150 million active adults in the United States, chronic disease risk prevention efforts in the workplace can reach a large portion of the American public. These programs have been shown to be effective in changing employee health behaviors, reducing absenteeism and health care costs.

"Integrating food service guidelines into wellness programs can help employers provide attractive and healthy options that offer employees a choice," Dr. Onufrak suggested.

The foods badyzed in the study were purchased from vending machines or cafeterias, or obtained free of charge in common areas, at meetings or at workplace parties. The study does not include foods that people bring to work from home for their own consumption, or foods obtained from a restaurant or off-site outlet during working hours.

Provided by
Elsevier