The Ministry of Health and Welfare found that 39.2 percent of white-collar workers last year were overweight or obese, primarily due to work and dietary habits, according to a report released by the ministry on Thursday.
The reported said 24.7 percent of salaried workers were overweight, while 14.5 percent were obese.
Eighty-three percent of salaried workers did not follow the Health Promotion Administration’s (HPA) recommended daily allowance of vegetables and fruits, it showed.
The HPA recommends that Taiwanese eat 300g of vegetables per day and two servings of fruit, with a serving being defined as the size of an adult fist.
The report said that 53.4 percent of employees fail to meet the WHO-suggested exercise of 150 minutes per week, while 19.1 percent did not exercise at all.
HPA Community Health Division head Lin Li-ju (林莉茹) said office workers tend to eat out and are more inclined to consume deep-fried or other oily foods, as well as drinks and desserts high in sugar.
Such dietary habits, coupled with sedentary work habits or standing for long hours, easily lead to being overweight, Lin said.
A protracted period of being overweight or obese can lead to hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia and cardiovascular or cerebral diseases, she added.
The report said 60.8 percent of salaried workers had complained of physical discomfort within the last month, with 35.2 percent complaining of pain in the joints, bones or muscles, 33.7 percent complaining of dry eyes and 28.3 of tiredness.
It is important for employees to practice healthy habits in the workplace, because most salaried workers spend one-third of their day there, HPA Director-General Wang Ying-wei (王英偉) said.
Ordering healthy food for employees, substituting cakes and sweets in meetings with fruit and vegetables and replacing drinks high in sugar with water or sugarless tea would help, he said.
Encouraging employees to take the stairs, hosting group exercise sessions in the office and promoting strolls around the company allows employees to exercise more, which in turn helps them to control their body weight and stay healthy, Wang added.
International research shows that a healthy work environment can help reduce sick leave by 25 percent, save 24.5 percent in medical expenses and prevent 32 percent in compensation to employees for injuries, Lin said.
The nationwide poll surveyed 6,023 full-time salaried workers over 18 via the telephone. Its margin of error was not available.
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