End the ‘cake culture’ – dentists call for cut-back on sugar at work

Along with the news that kids eat half their daily sugar allowance before they event get to school, dentists are now calling for a cultural change in Britain’s workplaces to address health problems caused by excessive sugar consumption.

The Faculty of Dental Surgery has criticised what it calls the ‘workplace cake culture’, saying an overabundance of sweet treats at the office are contributing to obesity and poor dental and oral health. Academics are calling on managers to make a resolution to cut back on unnecessary sugary snacks available to their employees.

Professor Nigel Hunt, Dean of the Faculty at the Royal College of Surgeons, says there are a number of ways adults can limit their sugar intake, including saving sweets as a lunchtime treat and keeping snacks out of view. Bosses can help the cause by encouraging employees to bring in healthy alternatives when celebrating birthdays and offering low-sugar snacks in the breakroom.

According to The Guardian, 63% of adults in England were classified as obese or overweight in 2015-16 and nearly 64,000 over-18s were admitted to the hospital as a result of tooth decay.

So if your New Year’s resolution is to eat more healthily, try to get your colleagues involved by encouraging them to cut back on the cakes at work.

Read the original article at bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38491414