Workplaces that promote health and wellness? Why not consult with experts?
In the previous week, India observed National Nutrition Week for the 41st time. Every year, the first week of September is dedicated to raising awareness of the significance of nutrition in various ways.
However, just a week before this, personnel in Hyderabad's IT sector experienced their own awakening when a study done by the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, released its findings.
MetS (Metabolic Syndrome) was discovered in roughly a third of the 183 techies surveyed across IT organizations of all sizes.
AN UNPOLITE AWAKENING
Mets occurs when three or more of the following factors are present:
Waist circumference 90 cm for men and 80 cm for women
Triglyceride levels of 150 mg/dL
Blood Pressure (BP) 130/85 mmHg, High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL-C) 40 mg/dL in men
100 mg/dL fasting blood glucose level
These findings were eye-opening in comparison to the employees' optimistic bias that they are 'unlikely to be at danger of developing NCDs'. MetS was more common in those over the age of 30, but the same lifestyle risk factors were present in younger employees.
STRESS, EATING STRESS
Despite being India's largest private job sector, the IT (also known as BPOs) sector is regarded as a high-stress occupation. The main sources of stress are work load and fulfilling deadlines. The average sitting time per day was discovered to be more than eight hours, and participation in deliberate physical activity was relatively low.
Employees' unhealthy eating habits were shown to be caused by irregular working hours, night shifts, high work targets, frequent travel, employees spending approximately one-third of their day at work, and other factors.
MetS causes persistent, low-level inflammation over time, predisposing people to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension.
INDIA MAKES A STAND
There is a need to sit up and pay attention: One, the prevalence of MetS is higher in nearly a third of individuals studied than in the general Asian working population. Two other similar studies have found that India's economically productive youthful population is among the most overweight and obese in South East Asia. Three, NIN scientists inform us that this problem is not limited to the IT sector or to Hyderabad; as earlier investigations have revealed, it is a pan-India, cross-industry phenomenon.
NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES ARE EXPENSIVE FOR THE COUNTRY.
According to a Lancet research, the overall economic loss associated with these NCDs in India was predicted to be $200 billion in national income from 2005 to 2015.
Furthermore, the rising rate of NCDs among the younger working-age population indicates that India would be unable to realize the demographic dividend.
WORKPLACES AS A WAY OF PROMOTING HEALTH
After determining the scope of the problem, NIN will develop interventions. This research is part of a wider study aimed at developing a strategic model of Workplace Wellness Programs (WWPs) throughout the country.
"Why not use the workplace itself to promote health?" says Dr SubbaRao M Gavaravarapu, the study's scientist and lead investigator. What we are striving for is a comprehensive WWP in which the company will actively promote physical activity through exercise, meditation, relaxation, and Yoga. The second step is to create a food environment at the workplace."
The latter involves making available — and conspicuously exhibiting or 'priming' — products such as fruits, salads, juices, coconut water, and buttermilk.
CALL FOR WWPS FORMALISATION
The formalization of WWPs is also on NIN's wishlist. Dr. SubbaRao suggests: "Just as environmental clearances, wages, labor laws, and so on must be in place when establishing a company, why not make WWPs mandatory as well — something like a corporate certificate saying 'nutritionally, we will provide good resources'?" Of course, we can just make suggestions. The NIN cannot function as a regulatory or implementation body." However, advocacy with multi-stakeholder groups such as CII, FICCI, ministries, and NGOs is on the agenda to first discuss the notion and determine a direction.
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