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Healthy work life in a fast-paced world:

Lifestyle Management

The Ministry of Health Care and Nutrition, the World Health Organisation and the International Labour Organisation have joined hands to promote healthy lifestyle management among the working class aimed at arresting the growing health problems faced by the workforce.

Unhealthy eating habits may cause cardiovascular diseases. Changing lifestyles have exposed the workforce to a greater risk of heart disease.

Labour Relations and Manpower Minister Athauda Seneviratne recently said that deaths relating to cardiovascular diseases are from the most producttive level in the society.

“While women are at greater risk of heart disease, children and adolescents are increasingly becoming vulnerable. It is observed that changing lifestyles have exposed children and adolescents to a higher risk of developing heart problems.

Major Impact

“The workplace of a person has a major impact on his physical, mental and social health. Stress, depression, chronic back problems, unhealthy eating habits and less time for physical activity due to a busy work environment are some of the problems frequently connected with the workplace”.

“The root cause should be recognised and answered to eliminate the problem of heart disease. Some of those key root causes include use of tobacco, physical inactivity, poor nutrition, high blood pressure, diabetes and high blood cholesterol”.

The Government has taken measures to discourage people from smoking. Advertising tobacco products and smoking in public places are prohibited.

Heart attack

Regular physical activity is another way to reduce the risk of heart attack, high blood pressure and strokes. Measures have also been taken to encourage people to avoid fast foods and adopt balanced diet habits. The Ministry of Health Care and Nutrition and the WHO have joined hands to experiment various strategies to address the workplace issues relating to cardiovascular diseases.

Maintaining healthy canteens with healthy menus, discouraging tobacco consumption and encouraging physical activity at workplaces and healthy lifestyles are some of the activities suggested by them.

Stroke

WHO Representative for Sri Lanka Dr. Firdosi Rustom Mehta said recently that non-communicable diseases have become an epidemic in themselves.

Despite all the emphasis placed on communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases cause more than seventy percent of all deaths worldwide.

Together with Chronic Pulmonary Diseases (heart attacks), diabetes and cancer, strokes head this fatalist. It’s the fifth major cause of death in Sri Lanka, claiming 25,000 lives annually and leaving many permanently disabled.

The ILO and the Health Ministry has issued a circular on “healthy diet and nutrition promotion in the workplace”. According to the circular the availability of a healthy diet in canteens and maintaining standards on safe and healthy food is important. Such canteens can be designated as ‘healthy canteens’.

The diet

Mono unsaturated food. They are found
in vegetables, fruits and nuts. They are fairly
safe for heart and blood vessels

It should be a broad classification of food based on permissible levels. Should be readily available as part of a regular diet. e.g.: Yellow and green vegetables, green leaves of many varieties, within limits eg: Red meat once a week, limiting salt (total 5g a person), sweets (one tsp sugar per cup of coffee/ tea), fat (total 5g a person to be used in a work setting 20ml per person per day.)

The four food groups that should be included in all menus cereals especially red rice, rice flour, yams and tubers, fats and oils preferably polyunsaturated fats such as soya oil, corn oil and sunflower oil. Legumes and animal protein such as fish, chicken and eggs (red meat with limitations).

Fruits, vegetables and greens. When preparing menus consider the target groups. If the workplace has staff doing more physical work, the weight of food in total per person should be higher compared to desk workers.

How to manage the canteen

* Menu plan should be displayed together with nutritive value and cost.

* Food preparation areas should be seen. Clean surfaces should be maintained.

* A schedule for cleaning utensils should be maintained, cross contamination should be avoided, ingredients should be of good quality and stored properly, food should be cleaned thoroughly, cooked and processed optimally and cooked food stored properly and served.

* Food handlers must be clean, with correct protective gear worn and undergo regular health check-ups.

* There should be regular contact between the Canteen Manager, Public Health Inspectors and workplace management.

* Labels and expiry dates of food should be well noted during procurement and storage.

* Promoting nutrition and healthy environment.

* Promoting healthy snacks during workshops and meetings (eg. Fruits fresh milk.)

* Conducting awareness programs.

* Maintaining healthy activity levels.

* Physical exercises

* Promote a minimum of 30 minutes continuous brisk physical activity a day

* Brisk walking from bus stop to workplace

* Walking around the workplace after a meal

* Cycling to work

* Taking the stairs instead of the lift

* Employers to arrange sport facilities within the workplace (Volley-ball/ badminton courts/ tennis courts’ Gymnasium)

* Facilities for mental sports (carrom, chess, sudoku)

* Maintaining activity record book

* Employers can assist by proving a printing record book where the type of activity and the time spent can be recorded.

Facts about fats

PUFA: Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acids (Omega 6) These are found in corn, soya and vegetable oils.

* They are beneficial in only small quantities.

* Large quantities are risky for the heart.

Generally, PUFAs are not very safe for consumption.

MUFA: Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids

* These are found in peanuts and other nuts.

* They are fairly safe for the heart and blood vessels.

Omega 3

* These are the best of all fats.

* These are found in fish oils.

* They pose a very low risk for heart and blood vessels.

* They are very safe for daily use.

Saturated fats

* These are found mostly in animal fats.

* These are also found in butter, ghee and certain cooking media.

* They are dangerous for the heart and blood vessels.

Trans fats

* These are artificially processed fats.

* These are the worst of all fats.

* They are used in packed snacks.

* They are extremely unsafe for the heart and blood vessels.

* They are carcinogenic (i.e. there is a risk of cancer in long-term use)

Ideal fats for daily use

The fats used should be less saturated. The content of Omega 3 fatty acids must be more than the Omega 6. Currently this is the most important factor that is looked for when we make a choice of ideal oil for daily use.

Red alert

Consult your physician if you have one or more of the following symptoms:

* A sudden, noticeable weight loss

* Feeling of persistent weakness or tiredness

* Persistent fever or night - sweat

* Fainting spells, shortness of breath

* Loss of appetite

* Repeated urination

* Persistent or severe pain in the head, chest or any other part of the body

* Chronic indigestion, problems in swallowing, recurrent vomiting, marked change in bowel/ bladder habits.

* Unusual bleeding or discharge from any part of the body.

* A gland, lump, swelling in breasts or in any other part of the body.

* Excessive thirst.

 

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