Workplaces should encourage employees to take up lunchtime spinning to tackle obesity

‘We need people to change their lifestyle and to take more exercise’

(Rex Features)

Employers should encourage workers to exercise on their lunch breaks to combat obesity levels and boost staff satisfaction, health officials have said.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued the guidance as part of a wider aim to increase levels of physical activity among British workers.

Employees should be offered subsidised gym memberships so they can attend yoga or spinning classes to break up their day, NICE says.

The organisation also suggest employers ensure offices have adequate bike storage, changing facilities and entry to a nearby swimming pool to make physical activities as accessible as possible.

Roughly two-thirds of people in the UK are either obese or overweight and the number of people in England, Wales and Scotland diagnosed with morbid obesity is expected to double by 2035.

Meanwhile, government statistics show that 15.4 million working days were lost to stress, depression and anxiety in 2017-18, a figure that NICE thinks could be drastically reduced if employers took a more active role in promoting physical wellbeing.

“If the United Kingdom’s 5.7 million small and medium-sized businesses encouraged their workforce to be more active, they are more likely to reap the benefits of having engaged employees who are more productive and are less likely to take time off sick,” said Professor Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive and director of health and social care at NICE.

“As a society we are facing an obesity crisis caused in part by people not exercising enough. We need people to change their lifestyle and to take more exercise. If they can do this during the working day, not only will they benefit, but so too will their employers and the NHS. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of General Practioners, added that exercise “can have a hugely positive impact” on our mental health in addition to our physical health.

“So making it easier for people to be more active as part of their daily routine – both at work and in their leisure time – is key to helping patients live a long and healthy life,” she said.

“We would urge employers to seek to swiftly implement these recommendations in some capacity as ultimately, a healthy workforce will be a more productive, and hopefully happier one.”