Office workers encouraged to walk through lunch

Researchers from Loughborough University are encouraging workers to leave their desks for a ‘walking lunch’ to help them retain fitness and health as they move into later working life.

The scientists trialled the ‘Walking Lunch’ initiative with several UK organisations including Ipswich Borough Council and BT.

Those taking part showed “significant” reductions in body mass index and improvements in productivity.

“People spend a lot of time sitting at their desks, and we know from research in this area that sedentary behaviour is bad for health,” says Professor Cheryl Haslam, who led the four-year ‘Working Late’ project.

“In response to this we have developed new interventions to promote physical activity at work.”

Organisations promoting the Walking Lunch put a large interactive map in a public place such as a canteen.

Workers taking part in the initiative were given pedometers to measure their step count.

They then explored the area around their workplace during their lunch break, taking a photograph on their smart phone and putting it on the map along with useful local information.

Article from RoSPA ezine