Majority of Indian’s IT professionals are facing chronic health disorders due to their lifestyles, according to a survey report of ASSOCHAM. According to the report, nearly 55 per cent of young workforce engaged in India’s IT and ITES sector are suffering from lifestyle disorders due to unhealthy eating habits, hectic work schedules, tight deadlines, irregular and associated stress. During the survey, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) interacted with about 3,000 employees in the age group of 22 to 30 year representing various business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, IT/ITES in the domains of pharma, BFSI (Banking, Financial Services and Insurance), auto, hospitality, FMCG, manufacturing, energy and infrastructure sectors. The survey was carried out at Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Gurgaon, Noida and Pune between August and October last year to ascertain the extent of junk food addiction among BPO techies in Indian economy’s sunshine industry. About 2,000 young men and 1000 women were interviewed by ASSOCHAM Social Development Foundation (ASDF). Over half of respondents said due to 24×7 working environment and irregular food timings they directly place orders to fast food outlets, street food vendors and roadside eateries operating outside their offices serving ready to eat high calorie processed food items like noodles, burgers, pizza, bhelpuri, chaat, potato chips, wafers, vada pao, sev puri, pani puri and fried stuff like samosas, pakoras, along with carbonated, aerated drinks, coffee and masala tea, the report said. Frequent snack breaks during office hours together with rampant consumption of greasy, spicy food is leading to health problems like diabetes, hypertension, depression, anxiety and cardiovascular diseases. Besides, nutritional value of food remains last on the mind of employees when hunger strikes and they are left craving for junk stuff that satiates their hunger, the study revealed. Excessive intake of junk food, lack of physical exercise, long working hours, lack of sleep together with unbound mental fatigue is telling on the health of BPO and IT professionals in the city, most of who gorge on food served outside and this might have detrimental consequences on employees’ health in the long run, said ASSOCHAM National Secretary General Mr D S Rawat while releasing findings of the survey. UNI
