Does The Food We Eat Affect Workplace Productivity? [Infographic]

Feeling logy after lunch is a phenomenon many office workers frequently experience. The afternoon doldrums may be the result of a lack of sleep the night before but inadequate nutrition is also a factor. What we eat -- or don't eat -- plays an important role in our ability to be productive on the job.

A lack of nutrients, whether from eating too many processed foods and not enough fruits and vegetables, or not drinking enough water, can leave many people feeling as if they're working at only a fraction of their capacity and reduce output on the job, says nutritionist Deanna Moncrief.

Sedentary lifestyles, aided by increased use of technology, is also to blame, Moncrief says in a blog post at the People-ontheGo website. Several credible studies show that in addition to consuming low-quality food, jobs that involve little movement, including just about any kind of desk job, contribute significantly to weight gain.

"Additional body weight causes the heart to work harder to pump more blood to the extremities, and sometimes circulation isn't as efficient as it should be," Moncrief says.

That can leave workers feeling tired and less productive -- and may result in lost time from work for medical appointments or hospitalization. Further, she says that being overweight can contribute to development of carpal tunnel syndrome, caused by compressed nerves in the arm from overuse and a common ailment among computer users.

To learn more about how nutrition affects workplace productivity, check out the infographic below.

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