Office cake is a danger to our health and staff should celebrate or be rewarded with nuts or cheese instead – according to a leading dentist.
Of course I don’t disagree that cheese or nuts are better for us than cake – but surely there is room for a few treats in life?
I can’t see people getting excited about a slice of cheese to celebrate a colleague’s birthday, or a bag of nuts to mark the end of a successful week.
It’s a poor job if we can’t have some treats in life – and of course part of the appeal of a treat is knowing that it is ‘naughty, but nice’.
Prof Nigel Hunt, from the Faculty of Dental Surgery, at the Royal College of Surgeons, says office cake culture is leading to obesity and dental problems.
He adds: “Managers want to reward staff for their efforts, colleagues want to celebrate special occasions, and workers want to bring back a gift from their holidays.
“But for many people the workplace is now the primary site of their sugar intake and is contributing to the current obesity epidemic and poor oral health.
“Ideally office workers should consider other alternatives altogether like fruit platters, nuts, or cheese.”
Sharing food with others is a traditional way of bonding for humans of all cultures – gathering round a cake or plate of cupcakes is a lovely way to lift the spirits in an office and make everyone feel part of a team. So please dentists, don’t spoil that fun for us… We promise we’ll clean our teeth and go to the gym afterwards!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-36608269