Office ‘Cake Culture’ Increases the Rates of Obesity and Tooth Decay

Cake culture is when workers share sweet treats like cakes, cookies and chocolates with their colleagues, leading to a rise in the rates of obesity and dental cavities.

The rates of obesity and tooth decay are increasing in Britain due to “cake culture” in which workers share sweet treats with their colleagues, according to Royal College of Surgeons.

Workers should abandon the practice of bringing confectionery back from their holidays, said, Professor Nigel Hunt, dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons.

Niminy-piminy Colourful Cupcakes Perhaps as Addictive as Drugs
Fluffy sponges containing butter and the sugar in the icing coated over cupcakes could turn out as addictive as drugs, suggests a study.

‘The rate of obesity has increased 2.6-fold over the past four years. Globally, the number of obese people has risen from 105 million in 1975 to 641 million in 2014.’

Employers should be urged to stop offering biscuits at meetings, said Professor Hunt.

"Managers want to reward staff for their efforts, colleagues want to celebrate special occasions, and workers want to bring back a gift from their holidays. But for many people, the workplace is now the primary site of their sugar intake and is contributing to the current obesity epidemic and poor oral health.”

Sugar has a negative effect when it is consumed outside of meal time. Cake culture makes it difficult for those who are trying to lose weight or become healthier. “How many of us have begun such diets only to cave into the temptation of the doughnuts, cookies or the triple chocolate biscuits?"

Shooting Increase in Obesity Population in England
BMI, the weight to height ratio that determines if a person is overweight or obese seems to have increased in both men and women over the past 20 years.

"I'm not saying we need to ban such treats. But we do need a change in culture. When people are going out to the shops and buying cake and sweets they should at least consider buying smaller quantities and making them available only with lunch meals,” said Professor Hunt.

Workers should consider other alternatives such as fruit platters, nuts or cheese. Employers should avoid sweet treats as snacks in meetings.

Three Decades of Fighting Obesity in the United States Have Not Been Successful
The US obesity epidemic has worsened across the board to include 40% of women, 35% of men and 17% of children and teens, studies revealed.

Overeating has become a bigger problem than world hunger with more people now obese than underweight, according to a study published in British medical journal The Lancet.

In the last four decades, the rate of obesity has increased 2.6-fold. The number of obese people worldwide has increased from 105 million in 1975 to 641 million in 2014. Nearly 13 percent of the global population are obese, compared with just over 9 percent who are underweight.

Standing Six Hours Linked to 32 Percent Less Obesity Risk
A research team examined reported standing habits in relation to objectively measured obesity and metabolic risk among 7,000 adults between 2010 and 2015.

Source-Medindia