Office workers ‘should eat a protein-rich diet’

People who work in an office should take regular breaks and eat a protein-rich diet to avoid gaining weight, an expert has claimed.

Helen Heap, nutritional therapist at the Dr Marilyn Glenville Clinic, said that people should use breaks to fit a little bit of exercise into their working day.

"This will stimulate metabolism and the digestive system which can become sluggish if we are sitting down all day," she explained.

Ms Heap went on to say that a diet loaded with beans, tofu or chicken is a healthy and nutritious option.

She also recommended a fish or bean salad with some rye bread or an egg and salad sandwich on wholemeal bread, stating that these meals would also be "beneficial".

Ms Heap's comments follow the publication of research by the University of Montreal, which found that office workers have become less active over the last three decades.

The researchers suggested that this decreased activity could partly explain the rise in obesity that has occurred in the UK since 1970.

Do you manage to fit any exercise into your working day?