Sinclair Cares: Healthy food options at work - KMPH Fox 26

by Sinclair Broadcast Group

Sinclair Cares: Healthy food options at work

March is National Nutrition Month.

While eating healthy at home is something more people are doing, focusing on wellness at work can be a bit more challenging.

Alyson Courtney looks into a new study suggesting that companies need to do more to offer healthy food options for employees.

A new CDC study shows nearly a quarter of employed adults get foods and drinks at work at least once a week, mostly items high in calories, added sugars, and sodium.

With an unpredictable schedule, no one knows that better than Dr. Johnathan Goree. "...a lot of times I've been forced to eat really salty vending machine food or really greasy late night food," said Dr. Goree.

CDC says most foods eaten at work do not align well with the dietary guidelines for Americans, leading to more obese workers. Dr. Goree says he was one of them. "Part of that is because sometimes hospitals that I've worked at have really unhealthy food and so for the past three years I've really tried to eat a lot more fruits and vegetables, a lot more lean protein...," said Dr. Goree.

At the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, hospital dietitians have led an effort to offer healthier options to employees.

Dietitian Tonya Johnson says offering less fried foods and more plant-based meals is not only reducing absenteeism but also healthcare costs.

While not all companies offer a full-service cafeteria, every business can make healthy eating easier. She says new technology is making healthy options more readily accessible to companies.

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