- Most participants working for medium-size firms reported feeling dizzy or sleepy an hour or two after a lunch break.
- Google, for instance, spends an average of $20 per employee per day on food or $80 million per year.
Unhealthy foods while at work are slowing productivity while driving up nutritional diseases among employees.
The latest study by the British Journal of Health Psychology shows that food has a direct impact on cognitive performance, which is why a poor decision at lunch can derail an entire afternoon.
During the study, 230 participants reported their food consumption, mood, and behaviours over a period of 13 days. Afterwards, researchers examined the way people’s food choices influenced their daily experiences.
Most participants working for medium-size firms reported feeling dizzy or sleepy an hour or two after the lunch break. At least 147 out of 188 of them buy food from nearby joints.
The survey also found out that employees from firms that have strict food eating guidelines and involve nutritionists in the kind of food eaten during lunch break were more active.
The study concluded managements must control food choices for their employees for them to see productivity results they anticipate.
This study perhaps confirms another one conducted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 2005 that revealed that inadequate nourishment can cut productivity by up to 20 per cent.
This perhaps explains why blue-chip tech firms in Silicon Valley are spending an arm and a leg to provide nutritional lunch for their employees.
Google, for instance, spends an average of $20 per employee per day on food or $80 million per year.
Apptivate Africa, the owner of M-Kula eating app estimates that Kenyan firms spend 10 times lower on employees’ lunch compared to that of Google, an average of Sh200.
Nutritionist Peter Kuria told the Star that since most 8 am -5 Pm jobs are office-based and no physical activities are involved, it is good to avoid deep-fried foods which tend to lose water and absorb fat, increasing the calorie content.
He said a small baked potato (100 grams) contains 93 calories and 0 grams of fat, while the same amount (100 grams) of French-fries contain 319 calories and 17 grams of fat.