Unhealthy temptations abound in the modern office. There is the aspiring MasterChef contestant who insists on sharing their failed croque-en-bouche with their co-workers, and the nearby vending machine is packed with sugary and fatty foods (which seem like a perfectly viable option during the afternoon energy slump).

Most of us work in offices that we expend very little energy getting to via our cars, and even less energy accessing via elevators once we get there.

Then there are the hours upon hours of sitting, which research shows increases our risk of diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease and early death.

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Junk food combined with a lack of exercise is the main cause of our obesity crisis, and according to health authorities, the modern office is little more than its unhealthy enabler.

• Click on the owl for quick tips on how to cut back in the office.  

How can you say no to these brownies? Photo: Shutterstock

Watch the sweet stuff

Meet the office feeder. They are the insistent bearer of sweet treats, who leaves their homemade offerings on your desk and may even view refusal as an affront.

They want you to join them in their unhealthy eating so they feel better about their dietary transgressions.

They are tricky characters, hiding their unhealthy eating behind a cloak of altruism, but, according to nutritionist Lola Berry, the feeder is best dealt with by blank refusal.

“You have to politely decline the sweet treat and really own your choice not to eat unhealthily,” she says.

“Be OK with the fact that you are the health nerd in the office.”

It gets easier to say ‘no’ with practice, adds author and dietician Susie Burrell.

“The first time you say ‘no’ is the hardest,” she says.

“The first step is to identify them (the feeders) and what they do. Do not leave yourself vulnerable to hunger, as you will be more likely to indulge in treats.

“And get used to saying ‘no’, or tasting a small amount and not eating the rest. Once a feeder knows you never say ‘yes’, they will stop asking.”

The stress test

Workers are more likely to eat unhealthily when they feel stressed by a deadline or workplace pressure.

Stress can make you crave sugar. Photo: Shutterstock

“Long working hours and difficult commutes tend to be linked to stress, and people may eat more to help buffer the stress,” Ms Burrell says.

Ms Berry agrees and says workers are often so busy and wound up that they skip breakfast or go for long periods of time without eating.

“They then get so hungry that they will eat the first muffin they come across,” Ms Berry says.

“The trick is to get organised the night before and prepare a healthy banana smoothie so you can make sure you are not skipping breakfast.

“You have to be extremely disciplined.”

Get moving

The Heart Foundation’s national spokesperson for active living, Trevor Shilton, also points out that getting off your backside at regular intervals could make a huge difference to your health at work.

“When we move across the office, we are engaging the major muscle groups,” says Mr Shilton, who points out most people struggle to walk 300-4000 steps a day, let alone the recommended 10,000.

“These days it is possible to go through the entire work day without moving that much, and while we are sitting there we have a thousand inducements to eat unhealthily.”

Nutrition program manager with NAQ Nutrition, Aloysa Hourigan, says some workers feel they need to be “seen to be working”, and workplaces should instead encourage standing meetings, healthy foods in the communal kitchen and regular breaks.

“All of these benefits not only improve your waistline and reduce your risk of chronic health conditions, but it is also great for worker productivity,” she says.

“Research shows the more a worker refreshes their brain and takes breaks, such as walking in the lunch hour, the more energy they will have. It’s a win-win.”