Most London office workers 'don't take break for lunch'

Most London office workers are tied to their desks for their entire lunch hour, according to new research.

98 per cent of the capital's workforce miss out on a full lunch hour - with one in four of us taking an average of less than 15 minutes each day.

Deadlines and the the never-ending deluge of emails facing many workers mean six in 10 don't even leave the office for a lunchtime bite.

Forty per cent eat bland meals while remaining at their desk, and almost one in three of us eat the same thing every day they are in work, the findings suggest.

Experts are now trying to reinforce the benefits of dining outside or with colleagues this summer.

Food psychologist Sue Firth said: "Doing the same thing every day such as eating the same sandwich is pretty much guaranteed to make you feel bored and when you feel bored your mood drops.

"So push yourself a little. Variety is fun and makes you feel great, surely that’s a good enough reason to try something different."

The findings follow a survey of around 1,000 Londoners as Philadelphia launches its 'Love Lunch Again' campaign.

Almost nine in every 10 people asked said they thought a tasty lunch would help "brighten their day".

Philadelphia brand manager, Aditi Doshi, said: “Everyone deserves to have a more enjoyable lunch break- whether it’s 5 minutes or a full hour."