Women and younger employees are leading the way when it comes to accessing nutrition services through a relatively new employee benefits app.
Women booked 70 percent of appointments for nutrition support offered on Unum UK’s health and wellbeing app Help@hand, which launched in April 2023.
User data shows the service has supported 6,225 nutrition consultations with 37 percent of them booked by people aged 26-35 and 31 percent booked by employees aged 36-45.
Saumya Barber, head of proposition development at Unum UK, said the take up was encouraging as nutrition is central to overall health.
“Our engagement data suggests that workers are increasingly prioritising preventative health care like nutritional advice and coaching as part of a holistic view of their wellbeing,” she added.
Food has ‘profound impact’
Rebecca Mansfield, Unum’s medical advisor, said: “Our food choices have a profound impact on energy levels, cognitive function, mood, and overall physical and mental wellbeing. By fuelling our bodies with a balanced diet and adopting healthy eating habits, we can significantly enhance focus and productivity, both in and outside of the workplace.”
Mansfield said that while men are increasingly prioritising health and nutrition, the data from Unum’s app shows the trend that women are more likely to proactively seek help from health professionals, particularly for preventative care.
But she said that nutrition plays a crucial role in men’s health too.
“Poor dietary choices can lead to decreased fertility, whereas a balanced, nutrient-rich diet helps maintain a healthy weight which reduces the risk of obesity-related conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. So it’s vital that men start to be more proactive about their nutrition and long-term health.”
Workplace gateway
The government’s efforts to rebuild the NHS include a fundamental shift from late diagnosis and treatment to greater prevention of illness in the first place. Its 10 Year Health Plan will be published in spring this year.
Unum said that this shift in wider public policy highlights the importance of managing everyday health and wellbeing.
Barber added: “Comprehensive health and wellbeing support is essential for living well and working better. For businesses, the workplace can serve as a key gateway to educate and equip employees with the knowledge and tools to enhance their health and drive productivity. As a new year brings an emphasis on healthy lifestyle and dietary choices, we hope to see more male employees thinking seriously about the power of nutrition and preventative healthcare.”
