July 9, 2008

The Washington Post

The Productive Diet

Almost three-quarters of people who eat a healthy diet report being highly productive on the job vs. one-quarter of those who say their diet is poor or unbalanced, a new report from ComPsych says. The company, which provides employers with guidance materials and counselors on call (via employee assistance and wellness programs), surveyed U.S. employees on their health, work productivity, morale and energy and found:

• Two-thirds of respondents who consider themselves very physically active say they're very productive, compared with 26 percent of inactive workers.
• The active workers had much higher energy levels and morale than the sedentary ones.
• Weight is a factor in productivity and energy, with 57 percent of those at their ideal weight saying they're highly productive vs. 27 percent of the very overweight workers.
• Workers who exercise and eat well reported lower stress levels.