Why skipping lunch is bad for your health

[Nellaiyan]

Why skipping lunch is bad for your health

But half us do...

It seems that lunch breaks - the kind where you leave the office and eat food elsewhere - are fast becoming a thing of the past.

In fact, half of us are now too busy to take a proper lunch break, a survey has found.

The survey of 1000 workers by private health company Bupa found that another third of us feel pressured by managers to work through lunch breaks.

Instead of impressing the boss, skipping lunch actually lowers productivity, as half of workers said it caused them to work less effectively in the afternoon.

However, the consequences of neglecting to take a break are not just restricted to productivity.

Health consequences

More than one in five of those surveyed said working through their lunch left them feeling irritable and stressed.

Other studies have linked prolonged time spent sitting at a computer with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

Working in the same position without a break has also been shown to increase the risk of chronic musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain, a major cause of long-term sick leave in the UK.

Research has shown that skipping lunch or snacking at the computer can cause people to eat more food later in the day than they otherwise would have done, promoting weight gain.

Skipping lunch can affect your mental well-being, especially in the winter months when days are short. By not going outdoors in the middle of the day, you're missing precious sunlight. This, in turn, affects your body's production of melatonin, which affects your mood.

Dr Jenny Leeser, Bupa clinical director of occupational health, said: “Instead of taking a break to refuel, workers are using props including chocolates and sweets and caffeinated drinks to get them through the day, which can lead to insomnia and dehydration."

For this reason, Christina Merryfield, Bupa’s lead dietitian, has the following advice:

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Aim to drink six to eight glasses of fluid a day. However, you will need more fluids if the temperature is high or to keep yourself hydrated when you’re exercising.

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Do not skip lunch – adrenaline can sometimes mask hunger and your brain will miss out on the essential nutrients and glucose it needs to function for the rest of the afternoon.

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Base your lunch on the three basic food groups - one-third starch (potato, rice, pasta etc) - aim for these to be wholegrain variety as they are digested more slowly making us feel full for longer - over one-third vegetables or salad and the rest a low fat protein source. This will help maintain energy and concentration levels throughout the rest of the day.