TT workers on road to obesity

A survey on the eating habits of working people has revealed that 89 percent of working  people buy their lunch every day. “Most of the time, it is a meal from a fast-food restaurant.” In a release, Frank Tull, director of the Romano Foundation, which conducted the survey,  said there is the perception of Trinis being very health conscious because they exercise and are seen at the Queen’s Park Savannah and at Lady Chancellor Hill. “Still they are very embarrassed when a blood test shows they have high cholesterol. Are people aware that food intake is the key to their health condition?”

The random survey polled 789 people at food courts in West Mall, Long Circular Mall and Trincity Mall to find out what was contributing to obesity, stress-related diseases, high cholesterol. Tull said the study was prompted by complaints from people attending the Romano Foundation Clinic who found that despite exercise, their blood sugar and cholesterol remained high. “People don’t understand if they do not adjust their diet, they are still at risk for cardiovascular disease.”

Tull said almost 92 percent of the people who held managerial positions reported that they did not eat on time, and most of the time they had a quick lunch which was bought. “Their argument is that they reach home late and most of the time there is no time left to prepare enough food to take to work the next day. When they did cook, it was dinner.” Tull said they also complained about stress. He said due to job-related stress, the managers experienced unhealthy cravings, hair loss, weakness, sleepiness, nervousness and ended up on the road to obesity “with related diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and coronary heart disease.”

Sixty-nine percent of the people interviewed said they tried a plan to assist them with healthy lifestyles, but did not succeed. Thirty-five percent exercised regularly, 49 percent suffered from some type of cardiovascular disease. Eighty-nine percent said one of their parents had cardiovascular disease. Tull said this put them at risk. The Romano Foundation is a non-profit organisation started in October 2003. It provides counselling on weight loss and the management of diabetes.