The Workplace Food Environment

Work and food have a longstanding connection – throughout human history, people have worked as a means to obtain food. Today, more than half of adults in most developed countries work outside the home over a meal time, usually lunch. Food can often be accessed at the worksite through onsite provisions (e.g., vending, cafeterias, events) and consumed at work. In fact, employees typically consume about 1/3 of their daily calories at work. Workplace health promotion programmes that seek to modify the food environment and employee food choices are becoming more common. This chapter reviews provisions in the workplace, health promotion interventions in the workplace to improve food choice at work, and the role employers can play in helping their employees make healthy choices. Two examples of best practice interventions are described. Trends in the workplace and impacts on the food environment including the ageing workforce and flexible and nonstandard work arrangements are discussed. Implementation research will be key in informing future programmes that aim to reduce inequities in access to food, particularly healthy food for all workers.