Impact of modern nutrition on the health of office workers

Abstract

Background. In the context of urbanization and office work, an unbalanced diet with increased consumption of processed foods affects both physical and mental health, being associated with obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, and anxiety, and contributes to reduced cognitive performance and work productivity. Objective(s). Identification and evaluation of unhealthy eating patterns among office employees, as well as a detailed analysis of their impact on physical, metabolic, and mental health. Materials and methods. A comprehensive analysis of scientific literature from the last 10 years (2014–2024) was conducted. From hundreds of studies published annually, the 20 most relevant observational studies, meta-analyses, and experimental research on nutrition and unhealthy eating patterns were identified from PubMed, Scopus, and ResearchGate. Results. Unhealthy dietary patterns were identified, such as excessive consumption of fast food, sugary drinks, and high-calorie snacks (average 50%), low intake of fruits and vegetables (~80%), predominant consumption of refined carbohydrates (70%), and skipping breakfast (30%). The meta-analyzed studies highlight the association of these patterns with the following consequences: obesity (36%), type 2 diabetes (27%), hypertension (40%), anxiety (35%), and depression (30%). Evidence from PubMed, Scopus, and ResearchGate confirms the negative impact of modern diets on office workers’ health and the need for nutritional interventions. Conclusion(s). An unbalanced nutritional regimen, combined with sedentary lifestyle and work-related stress, promotes obesity, increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and worsens mental health disorders, leading to a significant decline in performance and productivity at the workplace.