Adequate nutrition, essential for increased productivity, performance at work – Onyeji
Chigozie Amadi
Adequate nutrition by prioritizing and making healthy food choices has been identified as an essential ingredient for increased productivity that can improve performance at work and lead to healthier, more fulfilling lives .
Gertrude Nneka Onyeji of Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics made this known in a lecture, “ADEQUATE NUTRITION FOR INCREASE WORK PRODUCTIVITY” organized for Civil servants in David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, (DUFUHS) Uburu, Ebonyi state.
Onyeji urged the participants to plan their meals and pay attention to their eating habits as eating slowly, chewing their food thoroughly, and paying attention to their body’s hunger and fullness signs can help them avoid overeating and make healthier food choices.
She however noted that they are some kinds of foods that can negatively affect productivity such as alcohol which he said limits workplace productivity and should be avoided during the workday
The lecturer disclosed that alcohol does not only interfere with productivity, but also fosters absenteeism in employees, and creates more accidents and on-the-job injuries and urged people to delay consumption of alcohol until after working hours.
Other foods that can negatively affect productivity according to her is saturated fat foods containing high levels of saturated fats decrease productivity and also increase fatigue, as they cause the brain to release the sleepy hormones of serotonin and tryptophan.
She mentioned that some other foods with saturated fat should be avoided during the workday in order to enhance productivity and they include -animal-based foods, fatty meats, poultry with skin, butter, lard, cream, baked goods, fried foods, cheese and other whole-fat dairy products.
She noted carbohydrate as a key nutrients for optimal productivity and that it is one of the three macronutrients of the human diet, which are the bodies’ main source of energy needed to carry out functions
Onyeji explained that the primary role of carbohydrates is to supply energy to all cells in the body and are found in various forms, like sugars and dietary fiber, and in a variety of foods, including whole grains, vegetables and fruits, adding that eating either too much or too little carbohydrates can have negative effects on the body.
Earlier in his welcome Address, Ag. Director, International Institute of Sports Development & Rehabilitation, David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, Prof. Sam Chidi Ibeneme said that as civil servants, they bear the weight of public service upon their shoulders.
Ibeneme noted that their efforts drive policy formulation, implementation, and service
delivery, lamenting that in their noble pursuit, they often overlook their own well-being.
He reminded the civil servants that their effectiveness hinges upon their physical health, mental
resilience, and emotional equilibrium.
“Carbohydrates that can be beneficial to workplace productivity include:Brown rice – has more nutrients than white rice and helps to fuel the body longerWhole grains ( Oats, ofada rice, millet, wheat etc)- these provide magnesium, which helps cognitionDark chocolate – this contains flavonoids, providing antioxidant effects to the brain (choose chocolate that is low in sugar)
“Adequate nutrition is essential for increased productivity. By prioritizing our nutrition and making healthy food choices, we can improve our performance at work and lead healthier, more fulfilling lives
“Foods That Can Negatively Affect Productivity CONTDSaturated FatFoods containing high levels of saturated fats decrease productivity. They also increase fatigue, as they cause your brain to release the sleepy hormones of serotonin and tryptophan. Foods with saturated fat that you should avoid during the workday in order to enhance productivity include -animal-based foods, fatty meats, poultry with skin, butter, lard, cream, baked goods, fried foods, cheese and other whole-fat dairy products.
“The primary role of carbohydrates is to supply energy to all cells in the body They are found in various forms, like sugars and dietary fiber, and in a variety of foods, including whole grains, vegetables and fruits. Eating either too much or too little carbohydrates can have negative effects on our bodies
