Labor Nutrition

In recent years, our country has shown significant economic and productive growth, largely due to the contribution of the business sector and the consequent increase in the labor force. However, this effort has meant a prolonged stay in the workplace, which makes the quality of working life increasingly relevant . Working conditions and the type of food provided, among other factors, are decisive for people’s health and quality of life.  

Because of this, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has considered the workplace as a priority environment for health promotion in the 21st century.

How does diet affect job performance?

Food for work has become increasingly important due to its effects on the quality of life of workers and their productivity, because food and nutrition are strongly linked to the biological functioning of the body.      

• Skipping a meal, especially breakfast or lunch, leads to hypoglycemia. This is a decrease in the concentration of sugar in the blood, which reduces the attention span and slows down the speed with which information is processed.      
• In people with iron deficiency a recorded decline in physical capacity and performance at work up to 30%, which adds to the appearance of weakness, laziness and lack of coordination.        
• An obese worker, with an imbalance of critical nutrients in his diet, has twice the probability of absenteeism than a person with a normal nutritional state.  

Why does a healthy worker benefit the company?

For any company, its most important capital is the people who make it up. When the worker is healthy:

• Is more efficient 
• He is alert and full of energy   
• Reduces the risk of accidents
• Handle stressful situations better 
• According to a report by the World Health Organization, an adequate diet and the practice of physical activity in civil servants or workers can increase productivity levels by 20%.     

A healthy and responsible company is one that protects its workers against all the risks of work activity, encouraging a sense of self-esteem and control over the work environment.

Source: University of Chile