Feeding frenzies break out in offices

Friday, June 2, 2006 | 7:17 a.m.

Mark Hansel

Today is National Doughnut Day: Pause for a moment in silence to reflect on what it means to you.

If you work in an office, the yeasty or cake-like confection may be a staple, along with the pan of brownies or homemade cookies that a co-worker left on a table for all to share. Or maybe it's bagels, or the gigantic muffins from a grocery warehouse that entice you.

Praise be the sugar. And the fat.

Whatever your "goodie" weak spot, and most people have more than one, the American office has become almost as much a place to eat as it is to work.

Be it employer-sponsored meals and snacks, or an array of temptations brought in by colleagues, office eating has become, well, a staple of American - and Las Vegas - business.

Forget Casual Friday as the favorite workplace theme day. Get ready for Taco Tuesday.

Lest you doubt it, ask Chrisa Grabenstein, a registered dietitian at Sunrise Hospital.

"More people are bringing in sweets or high-calorie, high-fat foods, and they tend to graze all day," she says.

And while there are several reasons for the trend, she says, look to the reduction in production jobs and an increase in the more sedentary office jobs. Such an environment simply provides more opportunities to munch.

Even workers who are generally health-conscious are sucked in.

Jacques Desrochers, a consultant at Countrywide Home Loans in Henderson, works out regularly and watches what he eats. Once a month, however, the company provides lunch for employees and it's hard not to give in to temptation, he says:

"I go for the chicken first. But then you see the mashed potatoes and gravy, which I know I should avoid, and I can't help myself."

(Can we get an Amen, brother?)

Carole Smith, the Countrywide office manager, says the free lunch comes from a different restaurant each month. Dessert is included - of course. Employees decide what to eat and, to no one's surprise, healthy options rarely win out.

"I tried that once and we almost had a riot on our hands," she remembers. "Out of the 70 or so employees we have here, only about 10 are really health-conscious."

Smith does not include herself in that 10.

"I worry about what looks good first," she says.

Other offerings that tempt the Countrywide staff are theme lunches for holidays such as Cinco de Mayo or the occasional "gift pastry" sent in by a client. A manager started bringing in bagels once a week, and Bagel Wednesday soon became a much-anticipated part of the office routine.

Dietitian Grabenstein says even hospitals are not immune to the ritual and the temptations:

"We often get treats from well-intentioned family members of patients, and if the food is there people are going to eat it. Even in my office, people got in the habit of bringing in treats and our manager had to step in and set limits."

Sunrise Hospital does offer more healthy options than most offices, which Grabenstein admits makes it a little easier for employees to eat well if they choose.

The hospital cafeteria offers a salad bar stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables and has deli sandwiches and heart-healthy entrees.

Nonetheless, there are also plenty of what Grabenstein calls "splurge-type items."

And the key to avoiding too much of a good thing is?

Self-discipline, she says, matter-of-factly: "The bottom line is that as individuals we have to take responsibility for ourselves. If your workplace doesn't have healthy options available, then bring them in yourself."

Employees can also request vendors to stock break-room machines with healthier foods or lead by example and bring in healthy treats for office snacks.

Grabenstein recommends fresh fruit with a yogurt dip for the midday munch or bagels instead of donuts for that morning meeting.

You can also turn to the Southern Nevada Health District for help.

The Worksite Wellness link on a district Web site - www.gethealthyclarkcounty.org - offers information on healthy eating and exercise, including a nutrition challenge that features weekly prizes. The site also provides links to other sites and will soon offer a downloadable Worksite Wellness Kit.

District health educator Rayleen Earney says the goal is to get people to adopt a healthier lifestyle:

"We're trying to raise awareness with the public to have them search for healthy options. We try to educate them on the nutritional value of foods rather than saying foods are good or bad."

While most company health programs are based on voluntary participation, some employers are taking a more direct approach.

Larry Borress, president and chief executive of the Midwest Business Group on Health, says employers are increasingly aware of the link between good health and productivity.

"There are so many health conditions that can be improved if people reduce their risk," he says. "While employers cannot force employees to eat healthy, there are things they can do."

The Midwest Business Group on Health is a Chicago-based, nonprofit organization that works with companies to improve health care services.

Borress doesn't think employers are ready to go to the extreme of eliminating workplace snacks, but some employers have altered health care premiums based on compliance with incentive programs.

"What employers are trying to do is make people aware, either through their health plans or their services, of the impact of their decisions," Borress says. "Through incentive programs, which are becoming much more popular and more aggressive, they are trying to get people to understand they've got to take some responsibility for their care."

Obesity and overeating could be taking the place of smoking as the major concern in the workplace, he says, and employers that recognized the need to create a smoke-free work environment now see overeating as a real threat to employee health.