A survey conducted by Bupa UK Health Insurance, has brought the company, to call for better health support for British workers. The firm found that an increasing number of workers are stressed, eating badly, not exercising or sleeping enough, which was said to be “igniting the fuse on a workplace health time bomb.”

The survey - which involved looking at key areas that affect a person’s health such as sleeping and eating patterns - found also found that among the UK’s 10 biggest cities, in regards to health more than 40 per cent of people see themselves as overweight and two-thirds of people have said that they don’t eat the recommended five portions of fruits and vegetables each day. Moreover two out of every five people were said to be eating fast food at least once a week.

Weekly exercise

Figures relating to the number of people who take up some moderate healthy activities throughout the week, such as walking, running, swimming, cycling is only about a third of people. Further to this, only around a quarter of people involved in the survey, admitted to being a member of a gym or sports centre.

In regards to sleeping, four out of every 10 people get less than the recommended seven or eight hours of sleep each night.

Stress levels were found to have risen among the respondents, with 45 per cent of them stating that they are under pressure, with two-thirds of the respondents saying that concerns about their families and their health was a key issue in comparison with the less than half of people worried about their own health. In addition, more than two out of five people had said that they worry about the credit crunch and rising costs.

BUPA UK Health Insurance stated that a healthy business requires a healthy workforce. So, to help employers create a climate in the workplace where employees are encouraged to take greater care and interest in their wellbeing. With this the firm highlighted the free online health assessment tool that it provides to all its corporate health scheme customers.

Online health advice

The service provides employees with confidential 24/7 online access, whether at home or work, to a series of health assessments which focus on the four areas of health and wellbeing that have been proven to have key impacts on performance at work such as nutrition, fitness, sleep and stress.

Benefits to the employer include regular reports to help the organisation track trends in the health of their staff and develop meaningful prevention programmes, ultimately improving its performance. The technology around the service is provided by the health and wellbeing consultancy “vielife”.

Dr Paula Franklin, the deputy medical director for Bupa UK Health Insurance, said: "Our research shows that people need all the support they can get to ensure their health and wellbeing remains intact. Employers need to respond to this and create an environment that encourages their workforce to take a more proactive approach to their health.

She also added: "The introduction of Bupa Positive Health will help companies combat these problems. The initiative is both straightforward to implement and accessible. What's more, by promoting the wellbeing of staff, companies should be able to manage their healthcare costs and risks proactively."