Thursday, September 15, 2005
[IWS] ILO: New! FOOD AT WORK: Workplace Solutions for Malnutrition, Obesity, and Chronic Diseases [15 September 2005]
IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________
(The following is to be presented at the World Congress on Safety and Health at Work, Orlando, Florida 18-22 September)
FOOD AT WORK: Workplace Solutions for Malnutrition, Obesity, and Chronic Diseases
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/download/foodatwork.pdf
[full-text, 12 pages]
[excerpt]
This book addresses a simple question how do workers eat while at work? This question is not always given much thought. This is strange, as food is the fuel that powers production. One would think that
employers, wanting to maximize productivity, would provide their workforce with nourishing food or, at the very least, convenient access to healthy food.Workplace meal programmes can prevent micronutrient deficiencies and chronic diseases, including obesity. Investments in nutrition are repaid in a reduction of sick days and accidents and an increase in productivity and morale. Indeed, access to healthy food (and protection from unsafe and unhealthy food and eating arrangements) is as essential as protection from workplace chemicals or noise.
In fact, workplace meal programmes are largely a missed opportunity. Too often the workplace meal programme is either an afterthought or not even considered by employers.Work, instead of being accommodating,
is frequently a hindrance to proper nutrition. Canteens, if they exist, routinely offer an unhealthy and unvaried selection. Vending machines are regularly stocked with unhealthy snacks. Local restaurants can be expensive or in short supply. Street foods can be bacteria-laden.Workers sometimes have no time to eat, no place to eat or no money to purchase food. Some workers are unable to consume enough calories to
perform the strenuous work expected of them. Agricultural and construction workers often eat in dangerous and unsanitary conditions. Mobile workers and day labourers are expected to fend for themselves.
Migrant workers, far from home, often find themselves with no access to local markets and no means to store or cook food. Night shiftworkers find they have few meal options after hours. Hundreds of millions of
workers face an undesirable eating arrangement every day. Many go hungry; many get sick, sooner or later. The result is a staggering blow to productivity and health. Poorer nations, in particular, remain in a cycle of
poor nutrition, poor health, low productivity, low wages and no development.
Press Release at-
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/pr/index.htm
[will appear soon at the URL above]
Thursday 15 September 2005
For immediate release
ILO/09/35
Poor workplace nutrition hits workers health and productivity, says new ILO report
GENEVA (ILO News) Poor diet on the job is costing countries around the world up to 20 per cent in lost productivity, either due to malnutrition that plagues some one billion people in developing countries or the excess weight and obesity afflicting an equal number mostly in industrialized economies, says a new study by the International Labour Office (ILO).
Poor meal programs and poor nutrition underlie so many workplace issues: morale, safety, productivity, and the long-term health of the workers and nations. But few workers are happy with their meal arrangements, says Christopher Wanjek, the author of the study, Food at Work: Workplace solutions for malnutrition, obesity and chronic diseases */, which will be formally launched at the XVIIth World Congress on Safety and Health at Work in Orlando, Florida, September 19-22.
The ground-breaking study, the first to examine workplace eating habits worldwide, says better nutrition in the workplace can raise national productivity rates, while workplace meal programs can prevent micronutrient deficiencies and chronic diseases, obesity with modest investments that can be repaid in reduction of sick days and accidents.
Other findings include:
The world is facing a food gap of staggering proportions, with one out of six people on the planet undernourished, and an equal number overweight or obese.
Inadequate nourishment can cut productivity by up to 20 per cent.
In 2001, non-communicable (diet-related) diseases contributed to about 46 per cent of the global disease burden and 60 per cent of all deaths worldwide, with cardiovascular disease alone amounting to 30 per cent of deaths. The global burden of diet-related diseases is expected to climb to 57 percent by 2020.
In Southeast Asia, iron deficiency accounts for a US$5 billion loss in productivity.
In India, the cost of lost productivity, illness and death due to malnutrition is US$10 to 28 billion, or 3 to 9 per cent of gross domestic product.
In wealthier nations, obesity accounts for 2 to 7 per cent of total health costs: in the United States the annual economic costs of obesity to business for insurance, paid sick leave and other payments is US$12.7 billion.
In the United States, where over two-thirds of the population is overweight, direct medical costs accounted for approximately US$51.6 billion and lost productivity approximately US$3.9 billion reflected in 39.2 million lost work-days, 239 million restricted-activity days, 89.5 million bed-days and 62.6 million physician visits.
In the developing world, a 1 per cent kilocalorie (kcal) increase results in a 2.27 per cent increase in general labour productivity.
AND MORE....
_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.
Stuart Basefsky *
Director, IWS News Bureau *
Institute for Workplace Studies *
Cornell/ILR School *
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor *
New York, NY 10016 *
*
Telephone: (607) 255-2703 *
Fax: (607) 255-9641 *
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu *
****************************************
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies
School of Industrial & Labor Relations
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10016
________________________________________________________________________
(The following is to be presented at the World Congress on Safety and Health at Work, Orlando, Florida 18-22 September)
FOOD AT WORK: Workplace Solutions for Malnutrition, Obesity, and Chronic Diseases
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/download/foodatwork.pdf
[full-text, 12 pages]
[excerpt]
This book addresses a simple question how do workers eat while at work? This question is not always given much thought. This is strange, as food is the fuel that powers production. One would think that
employers, wanting to maximize productivity, would provide their workforce with nourishing food or, at the very least, convenient access to healthy food.Workplace meal programmes can prevent micronutrient deficiencies and chronic diseases, including obesity. Investments in nutrition are repaid in a reduction of sick days and accidents and an increase in productivity and morale. Indeed, access to healthy food (and protection from unsafe and unhealthy food and eating arrangements) is as essential as protection from workplace chemicals or noise.
In fact, workplace meal programmes are largely a missed opportunity. Too often the workplace meal programme is either an afterthought or not even considered by employers.Work, instead of being accommodating,
is frequently a hindrance to proper nutrition. Canteens, if they exist, routinely offer an unhealthy and unvaried selection. Vending machines are regularly stocked with unhealthy snacks. Local restaurants can be expensive or in short supply. Street foods can be bacteria-laden.Workers sometimes have no time to eat, no place to eat or no money to purchase food. Some workers are unable to consume enough calories to
perform the strenuous work expected of them. Agricultural and construction workers often eat in dangerous and unsanitary conditions. Mobile workers and day labourers are expected to fend for themselves.
Migrant workers, far from home, often find themselves with no access to local markets and no means to store or cook food. Night shiftworkers find they have few meal options after hours. Hundreds of millions of
workers face an undesirable eating arrangement every day. Many go hungry; many get sick, sooner or later. The result is a staggering blow to productivity and health. Poorer nations, in particular, remain in a cycle of
poor nutrition, poor health, low productivity, low wages and no development.
Press Release at-
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/pr/index.htm
[will appear soon at the URL above]
Thursday 15 September 2005
For immediate release
ILO/09/35
Poor workplace nutrition hits workers health and productivity, says new ILO report
GENEVA (ILO News) Poor diet on the job is costing countries around the world up to 20 per cent in lost productivity, either due to malnutrition that plagues some one billion people in developing countries or the excess weight and obesity afflicting an equal number mostly in industrialized economies, says a new study by the International Labour Office (ILO).
Poor meal programs and poor nutrition underlie so many workplace issues: morale, safety, productivity, and the long-term health of the workers and nations. But few workers are happy with their meal arrangements, says Christopher Wanjek, the author of the study, Food at Work: Workplace solutions for malnutrition, obesity and chronic diseases */, which will be formally launched at the XVIIth World Congress on Safety and Health at Work in Orlando, Florida, September 19-22.
The ground-breaking study, the first to examine workplace eating habits worldwide, says better nutrition in the workplace can raise national productivity rates, while workplace meal programs can prevent micronutrient deficiencies and chronic diseases, obesity with modest investments that can be repaid in reduction of sick days and accidents.
Other findings include:
The world is facing a food gap of staggering proportions, with one out of six people on the planet undernourished, and an equal number overweight or obese.
Inadequate nourishment can cut productivity by up to 20 per cent.
In 2001, non-communicable (diet-related) diseases contributed to about 46 per cent of the global disease burden and 60 per cent of all deaths worldwide, with cardiovascular disease alone amounting to 30 per cent of deaths. The global burden of diet-related diseases is expected to climb to 57 percent by 2020.
In Southeast Asia, iron deficiency accounts for a US$5 billion loss in productivity.
In India, the cost of lost productivity, illness and death due to malnutrition is US$10 to 28 billion, or 3 to 9 per cent of gross domestic product.
In wealthier nations, obesity accounts for 2 to 7 per cent of total health costs: in the United States the annual economic costs of obesity to business for insurance, paid sick leave and other payments is US$12.7 billion.
In the United States, where over two-thirds of the population is overweight, direct medical costs accounted for approximately US$51.6 billion and lost productivity approximately US$3.9 billion reflected in 39.2 million lost work-days, 239 million restricted-activity days, 89.5 million bed-days and 62.6 million physician visits.
In the developing world, a 1 per cent kilocalorie (kcal) increase results in a 2.27 per cent increase in general labour productivity.
AND MORE....
_____________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************
# posted by SBasefsky : 7:23 AM
