Almost a third of professionals across the Middle East region (28 percent) are overworked to the point that they only manage to eat once a day - normally fast food and at night, according to the results of a recent online poll series conducted by the Middle East jobsite, Bayt.com. Another 26 percent of respondents agreed that they were not very healthy - managing to sometimes have lunch and snack on chocolate and other items during the day, while 21 percent stated that they are healthy enough, and manage to pack a lunch or at least healthy snacks from home. At the other end of the scale, the results showed that only 17 percent of professionals manage to eat fairly healthily, making it a point to eat at least two meals during the course of the working day, and only 8 percent considered themselves as very healthy, sticking to an eating plan during the day that includes four to five small meals. “This is a very important issue for employers to address: aside from the long term implications that eating irregular and unhealthy meals can have on an individual's health; a poor diet can cause lethargy, loss of concentration and mood and behavioural changes in the workplace, in the short term,” explained Amer Zureikat, the Regional Manager of Bayt.com. The “Eating Habits in the Middle East Workplace'” June online poll series sought to understand from employees how healthy their diet and lifestyle are at work, and what measures, if any, their employers take to promote health and wellbeing. Data for the poll series was collected online between the period of May 31 and July 13 2009, with a total of 12,368 respondents from across the Middle East. Weighty issues The unhealthy eating habits amongst the region's professionals have led a sizable proportion to gain weight. The poll found that only 18 percent of professionals have stayed the same weight since they started working, while almost two thirds of professionals, 59 percent, have gained up to 10 kilograms or more. However, weight loss since starting work was also found to be significant amongst the poll's respondents: 14 percent of those surveyed said they had lost up to five kilograms, 4 percent said they had lost up to 10 kilograms, while 5 percent had lost more than 10 kilograms. Who can run around the block? The poll went on to ask employees how active they consider themselves to be during the working day. The results were largely split down the middle, with just over half considering themselves as fairly to very active, and the rest either not very active, or not active at all. The results showed that 22 percent of respondents get so tired during the day; they are unable to exercise after work. “That more than a fifth of employees are so exhausted by the time they finish work to the point that they can't possibly exercise should perhaps send employers' alarm bells ringing - in terms of how work performance will be affected if employees are tired during the working day to the point where they are incapable of getting active afterwards,” said Zureikat. The trend of work tiring employees to the point of inactivity continued into employees' weekends: 29 percent stated that by the end of the week they were too exhausted to put more effort into being active on the weekend, while 18 percent said that they aim for a workout on the weekend but were sometimes too tired. However, 32 percent of professionals consider themselves as very active and engage in sports and outdoor activities throughout the whole weekend, and another 22 percent said that they make it a point to engage in sports and other outdoor activities at least once daily. Setting an example When it came to how far employers currently go to promote a healthy lifestyle for employees, the overwhelming message was ‘not far enough': a massive 74 percent said that their company didn't really do anything to promote a healthy lifestyle. Just 13 percent of professionals in the region said that they had both a cafeteria with healthy food and a gym at their place of work. Another 9 percent said that their company had a cafeteria that offers healthy food, and only 4 percent said there was a company gym that they could use during the lunch break. “With the fact that employees are gaining weight at work and feel that in general their employers do nothing to promote healthy living, it is as if they are making a case that ‘work is bad for your health' - something no one wants to hear!” commented Zureikat. Risk to health “What's more, our recent research found that a number of the region's professionals were undergoing health problems as a result of the recession: 27 percent stated the recession has personally caused them health concerns or issues including stress, and 13 percent stated that a family member's health had been affected. Promoting health and wellbeing among employees is therefore even more important during these trying economic times.” When it came to what factors would motivate employees to lead a healthier lifestyle at work, the respondents were largely divided: 30 percent stated that more organizational sports days would motivate them to be healthier, 30 percent said that it would be a gym with a free subscription, and 26 percent said that a company cafeteria with healthy food, as opposed to fast food, would encourage them to be healthier. “If organisations want to enjoy the positive knock-on effects from healthy and happy employees, then they can use this data as a starting point, and assess their existing lifestyle practices. If organisations are currently doing nothing to promote health and wellbeing among their staff, then something simple like offering employees facilities to exercise, or eat more healthily, may not only make their employees healthier, but may even give their organization a competitive edge,” concluded Zureikat. - SGAlarming figures • Only 18 percent of respondents have stayed the same weight since they started working. • 59 percent of respondents have gained up to 10 kilograms or more. • 22 percent of respondents said they get so tired during the day, they are unable to exercise after work. • 74 percent of the respondents said that their company didn't really do anything to promote a healthy lifestyle. • 27 per cent of the respondents stated the recession has personally caused them health concerns or issues including stress. • 13 per cent of the respondents stated that a family member's health had been affected by work. __
