Dentists call for office workers to stop eating cake and managers to provide more fruit and nuts

Hiding sweet treats from your colleagues is one way to reduce sugar intake

Step away from the cake, warn dentists (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The old quote may tell us: "Life is uncertain; eat dessert first". But perhaps unsurprisingly, dentists disagree.

Instead, they have urged office workers to cut out "cake culture" in 2017.

Leading dentists said managers who want to reward their staff should consider providing fruit and nuts instead. Failing that, the should simply hide cakes where workers cannot see them.

“Colleagues want to celebrate special occasions and workers want to bring back a gift from their holidays," said Professor Nigel Hunt, dean of the faculty of dental surgery (FDS) at the Royal College of Surgeons.

“While these sweet treats might be well-meaning, they are also contributing to the current obesity epidemic and poor oral health.

“We need a culture change in offices and other workplaces that encourages healthy eating and helps workers avoid caving in to sweet temptations such as cakes, sweets and biscuits."

Speaking at the FDS's annual dinner, he added: "Cake culture also poses difficulties for those who are trying their hardest to lose weight or become healthier.

"How many of us have begun such diets only to cave in to the temptation of the doughnuts, cookies or the triple chocolate biscuits?

"I’m not saying we need to ban such treats. But we do need a change in culture."

Some 65,000 people needed hospital treatment for tooth decay in 2014-15, the FDS said.

It recommended avoiding sugary snacks outside mealtimes because the bacteria in plaque feed on the carbohydrates, producing acid.

The health dangers of office work have long been recognised.

Workers who spend too much time sitting down have been urged to move around more as sedentary lifestyles are likely to increase risks of many health problems, according to health experts.

Even if an office employee is usually active, being chained to a desk for long hours is “one of the biggest challenges” in improving health. Going to the gym doesn’t cancel out implications on the body and mind.

Around 45 per cent of women and 37 per cent of men spend 30 minutes or less on their feet, a recent poll of 2,000 workers by the British Heart Foundation revealed.

Nearly two thirds of those surveyed, feared that inactivity would have a negative effect on their well-being.

The FDS' tips to cut sugar consumption

• Keep a "sugar schedule" to limit sugar intake
• Avoid snacking and keep sugar as a lunchtime treat
• Reduce portion sizes
• Consider low-sugar alternatives
• Think about where sweet treats are positioned - if they are nearby and visible people may eat more