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"Office Cake Culture..." Interesting BBC article
mayburcm1
Posts: 14 Member
I was just reading the news and came across this article and thought it was an interesting perspective:
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-36608269
Thoughts?
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-36608269
Thoughts?
0
Replies
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I have a problem with this right off the bat. It's talking about how the "cake culture" fuels obesity and tooth decay, then drops this:
"And staff should be rewarded with fruit, nuts or cheese instead."
What the hell? Those are just as, if not more dense in calories as the cake. Did that doctor forget his brain that morning? Yeah, I'm sure the bacteria in my mouth give a damn if the carbs giving them the acid-splatter poos came from fruit or carrot cake.
I mean, if he'd have just spoken on overall health, I could agree a bit. However, given the two things they pointed out, switching to his recommendations wouldn't help, if people were still eating too much of it.6 -
BBC article. Of course.0
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Gallowmere1984 wrote: »I have a problem with this right off the bat. It's talking about how the "cake culture" fuels obesity and tooth decay, then drops this:
"And staff should be rewarded with fruit, nuts or cheese instead."
What the hell? Those are just as, if not more dense in calories as the cake. Did that doctor forget his brain that morning? Yeah, I'm sure the bacteria in my mouth give a damn if the carbs giving them the acid-splatter poos came from fruit or carrot cake.
I mean, if he'd have just spoken on overall health, I could agree a bit. However, given the two things they pointed out, switching to his recommendations wouldn't help, if people were still eating too much of it.
Yeah, we've had office treats involving cheese trays with nuts and dried fruit (from a local artisan cheese place). Delicious alternative, but I am pretty sure I consume more calories on those days than with the regular sweet treats.3 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »I have a problem with this right off the bat. It's talking about how the "cake culture" fuels obesity and tooth decay, then drops this:
"And staff should be rewarded with fruit, nuts or cheese instead."
What the hell? Those are just as, if not more dense in calories as the cake. Did that doctor forget his brain that morning? Yeah, I'm sure the bacteria in my mouth give a damn if the carbs giving them the acid-splatter poos came from fruit or carrot cake.
I mean, if he'd have just spoken on overall health, I could agree a bit. However, given the two things they pointed out, switching to his recommendations wouldn't help, if people were still eating too much of it.
Yeah, we've had office treats involving cheese trays with nuts and dried fruit (from a local artisan cheese place). Delicious alternative, but I am pretty sure I consume more calories on those days than with the regular sweet treats.
That doesn't surprise me at all. Most people at least have some kind of "I shouldn't eat but so much cake" reflex (though obviously not everyone). However, when they think what they are eating is "more healthy", they appear to be more likely to get out of hand with it. This can especially be true for the kinds of food recommended in the article, which are very easy to overdo (ESPECIALLY tree nuts).2 -
Wasn't this a Seinfeld episode?3
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I've worked in an engineering context since 1983. It's always been 80% or more men, 20% or less women. Sometimes the women are the engineers, sometimes the women are the layout designers, sometimes the women are the sales, sometimes the women are the secretary. But there's always few women. When there's cake, all the men stand around wondering what to do until a woman grabs a knife and starts cutting the cake.8
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There is not a single science-backed argument in this piece. It's merely one doctors' opinion. Cake Culture. Really?
"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 work right next to a Dunkin Donuts. Should they have to close their business down because I'm trying to become healthier? NO. I need to LEARN self control, which clearly this angry doctor with a silly opinion doesn't have, because he's obviously bitter at people enjoying a piece of cake.
Today happens to be the first Friday of the month...our supervisors always bring donuts for everyone on this day. I guess they hate us and want us to have dental problems...or maybe they realize we are adults who are capable of brushing our teeth and saying no if we don't want one!8 -
I think my office has a donut culture. Cake is usually only around when someone has a baby/wedding shower or retires. There are donuts several days a week.2
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I think my office has a donut culture. Cake is usually only around when someone has a baby/wedding shower or retires. There are donuts several days a week.
Yup. Donut culture here, too. For a while we were getting them weekly as an "attaboy." Although on special occasions we often get cheese and sausage, and sometimes even beer - this is Wisconsin, after all.1 -
I only eat things at work that I've brought myself. I'll occasionally bring in donuts or something that I know other people like, but I don't eat them.2
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Gallowmere1984 wrote: »I have a problem with this right off the bat. It's talking about how the "cake culture" fuels obesity and tooth decay, then drops this:
"And staff should be rewarded with fruit, nuts or cheese instead."
What the hell? Those are just as, if not more dense in calories as the cake. Did that doctor forget his brain that morning?
That was written by a dentist. What do you expect? When all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.3 -
NorthCascades wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »I have a problem with this right off the bat. It's talking about how the "cake culture" fuels obesity and tooth decay, then drops this:
"And staff should be rewarded with fruit, nuts or cheese instead."
What the hell? Those are just as, if not more dense in calories as the cake. Did that doctor forget his brain that morning?
That was written by a dentist. What do you expect? When all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.
That actually makes it even worse. Are even dentists buying the "corn syrup is bad, fruits are okay, nevermind that they're both fructose" stuff, when it comes to oral hygiene now? o_O I mean, again, at least the doctor could point to overall health. I would expect a person who's studies focus on a single part of the body, to understand that body part's interactions with various things they come into contact with.1 -
Gallowmere1984 wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »I have a problem with this right off the bat. It's talking about how the "cake culture" fuels obesity and tooth decay, then drops this:
"And staff should be rewarded with fruit, nuts or cheese instead."
What the hell? Those are just as, if not more dense in calories as the cake. Did that doctor forget his brain that morning? Yeah, I'm sure the bacteria in my mouth give a damn if the carbs giving them the acid-splatter poos came from fruit or carrot cake.
I mean, if he'd have just spoken on overall health, I could agree a bit. However, given the two things they pointed out, switching to his recommendations wouldn't help, if people were still eating too much of it.
Yeah, we've had office treats involving cheese trays with nuts and dried fruit (from a local artisan cheese place). Delicious alternative, but I am pretty sure I consume more calories on those days than with the regular sweet treats.
That doesn't surprise me at all. Most people at least have some kind of "I shouldn't eat but so much cake" reflex (though obviously not everyone). However, when they think what they are eating is "more healthy", they appear to be more likely to get out of hand with it. This can especially be true for the kinds of food recommended in the article, which are very easy to overdo (ESPECIALLY tree nuts).
All true, but also I just have more trouble moderating good cheese (which I don't think is super healthy, just delicious) than sweets.1 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I think my office has a donut culture. Cake is usually only around when someone has a baby/wedding shower or retires. There are donuts several days a week.
I have a co-worker with a side bakery business who likes to bring new cupcakes she is trying out. So we have a cupcake culture. (She brings paczkis on Shrove Tuesday, but we otherwise don't have donuts much -- breakfast of choice when that gets provided is usually bagels.)0 -
Gallowmere1984 wrote: »Are even dentists buying the "corn syrup is bad, fruits are okay, nevermind that they're both fructose" stuff, when it comes to oral hygiene now? o_O
Well, the one who wrote that article is. I don't have these kinds of conversations with my dentist, so I don't know how the profession at large feels about corn syrup.0 -
My question is why there needs to be food in the workplace. How is it a treat if there's food all the time?
My husband's workplace provides snacks every day. Yeah everyone should have self control and all that but that doesn't explain why the food is there to begin with. It is the same thing as all the snacking that goes on with kids. They play soccer for 40 minutes and get a snack. They maybe ran around for 15 minutes tops. Gymnastics - there's a snack.3 -
Yeah, food is much more around at all times, from what I observe. Not sure why that cultural change, but we just have to learn to deal with it.0
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lemurcat12 wrote: »Yeah, food is much more around at all times, from what I observe. Not sure why that cultural change, but we just have to learn to deal with it.
Has it changed? I've had an office job for 30 years and it's always been this way.1 -
My perception is it has, yeah. Obviously, this is all anecdotal.0
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I'm all for a healthy diet, but that article is taking it too far. Life is to be enjoyed as well, especially special occasions.0
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My question is why there needs to be food in the workplace. How is it a treat if there's food all the time?
I agree - this sounds like cookie time at preschool. Can people not just handle food on their own time? The offices I've worked in haven't been like this at all (IT and finance). Sounds like a distraction.
If there's food, it's the left-overs from some client thing and people scavenge it quickly.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I think my office has a donut culture. Cake is usually only around when someone has a baby/wedding shower or retires. There are donuts several days a week.
I have a co-worker with a side bakery business who likes to bring new cupcakes she is trying out. So we have a cupcake culture. (She brings paczkis on Shrove Tuesday, but we otherwise don't have donuts much -- breakfast of choice when that gets provided is usually bagels.)
I love cupcakes, especially the fancy ones because one is more than enough. I'm not too big on frosting, so a single, special cupcake really hits the spot!0 -
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That was article written about a speech that someone is going to make? Since when did that become a thing? How do you report on something that hasn't happened yet?0
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I've worked for a few different hospitals, and I do think it's true that the organizational culture has an impact on health. One of the best places was the children's hosptial. They started a campaign against childhood obesity. They changed the cafeteria, vending machines, and workplace meals and snacks (they always provided meals at the monthly staff meetings, for example). The "healthier" options were placed at eye level (screened and chosen by the nutritionist) and made less expensive than the junk food. The diet sodas were made cheaper than the regular sodas. Of course, they changes weren't perfect or evidence-based in my opinion, but better than nothing. They funded employees to participate in athletic events together, and gave discounts on health insurance for participating in a wellness program. Again, their idea of a healthy diet didn't exactly fit mine, but I appreciated the effort. At other jobs, we been given pancake breakfasts, cakes, cupcakes, pizza, etc. for celebrations, and I just don't eat. I look like the party pooper, but I'm used to it by now. There would always be bags of candy and treats for the nurses. I personally don't see it as thoughtful or helpful. It's annoying.4
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I've worked for a few different hospitals, and I do think it's true that the organizational culture has an impact on health. One of the best places was the children's hosptial. They started a campaign against childhood obesity. They changed the cafeteria, vending machines, and workplace meals and snacks (they always provided meals at the monthly staff meetings, for example). The "healthier" options were placed at eye level (screened and chosen by the nutritionist) and made less expensive than the junk food. The diet sodas were made cheaper than the regular sodas. Of course, they changes weren't perfect or evidence-based in my opinion, but better than nothing. They funded employees to participate in athletic events together, and gave discounts on health insurance for participating in a wellness program. Again, their idea of a healthy diet didn't exactly fit mine, but I appreciated the effort. At other jobs, we been given pancake breakfasts, cakes, cupcakes, pizza, etc. for celebrations, and I just don't eat. I look like the party pooper, but I'm used to it by now. There would always be bags of candy and treats for the nurses. I personally don't see it as thoughtful or helpful. It's annoying.
And after those changes, what percentage of the employees lost significant weight and kept it off?1 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Yeah, food is much more around at all times, from what I observe. Not sure why that cultural change, but we just have to learn to deal with it.
Has it changed? I've had an office job for 30 years and it's always been this way.
I'm in the same boat and it seems like where I'm at there less food in the office vs 20 years or so ago.0 -
I'm all for a healthy diet, but that article is taking it too far. Life is to be enjoyed as well, especially special occasions.I'm all for a healthy diet, but that article is taking it too far. Life is to be enjoyed as well, especially special occasions.
It's not a special occasion when it is weekly or more frequent.3
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