Boring Desk Jobs Trigger Obesity

Boring desk jobs increase the risk of obesity among employees as they end up eating unhealthy snacks to spend their time.

Competition to bring the best cakes into the office on special occasions like birthdays is also contributing to bulging waistlines, a recent survey has revealed.

Researchers found that 42 percent of office workers gained up to a stone in a year as they indulged on snacks such as cake and biscuits during their working hours.

Boredom was named as the biggest factor in workers reaching for a treat while others relied on a sugar rush to get them through the working day.

50 percent of men questioned admitted to having a snacking addiction.

30 percent of men said that they felt left out if they avoided calorie-laden goodies being passed around the office while just 17 percent of women acknowledged to finding it impossible to resist office treats.

However, despite having greater willpower, the survey by men's fashion retailer 'High and Mighty' found more women put on weight over the course of a year.

Half of the women surveyed said that they put on weight in the last year in contrast to 40 percent of their male counterparts.

"You're going to lose and gain weight throughout your life, it's unavoidable. But our research seems to show that you're more likely to gain weight during your office life," the Daily Mail quoted Gill Politis as saying.

Politis, managing director of men's fashion retailer High and Mighty, blamed the 'tremendous camaraderie as well as competition' in the workplace with people bringing in treats leading to a 'competitive spirit that says "my chocolate cake is better than yours"'.

"It's the perfect storm that conspires against the diet-conscious," she said.

The research into office weight gain was instigated by the retailer as part of a programme aimed at matching fashion with lifestyle changes.

For those who do change size during their office life, Politis recommends wardrobe alterations.

"The worst thing you can do if you put on or lose a couple of pounds is to stick to the same clothes. They're unflattering and will exaggerate your size," she added.

Source: ANI