Gastroenterologist Ekaterina Kashukh has warned that common workplace habits such as skipping meals, eating at computer screens, and prolonged sitting can damage stomach health.
Speaking to online news outlet Lenta.ru, Kashukh identified infrequent eating during work hours as the primary mistake made by office employees, warning that long gaps between meals can cause lasting digestive harm.
Risks of Infrequent Workplace Meals
Kashukh explained that although gastric juice production increases when food is consumed, the stomach continuously produces a basal secretion of hydrochloric acid in small amounts even without food. When an individual fasts for extended periods, this acid has no contents to digest and begins to irritate the stomach lining.
Prolonged breaks between meals cause the protective gastric mucosa to thin over time. Kashukh noted that this process initially causes mild irritation before progressing to inflammation, which can become chronic if the schedule is maintained over a long period.
She added that when hungry workers finally sit down to eat, they frequently lose control over portion sizes due to extreme hunger. Overeating after extended fasting can result in heartburn, abdominal heaviness, bloating, and stomach pain.
Gastroenterology focuses on diagnosing and treating disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, including gastritis, which is characterized by the inflammation of the inner lining of the stomach. Kashukh serves as an expert at Gemotest, a major medical laboratory network operating across Russia, and holds a Candidate of Medical Sciences degree, a post-graduate academic distinction in the country's higher education system.
Distracted Eating and Physical Inactivity
Eating at a desk while looking at a computer screen or reading emails represents another harmful habit, according to Kashukh. She stated that focusing on electronic devices during meals distracts individuals from the act of eating, preventing the brain from detecting fullness and leading people to consume significantly more food than intended.
Physical inactivity at work also poses significant digestive risks. Kashukh warned that sitting in a fixed position for extended periods triggers food stagnation in the stomach, creating a sensation of abdominal distension, frequent belching, and occasional nausea.
The warning follows earlier advice from gastroenterologist Yulia Slasten, who recommended limiting daily lard consumption to no more than 30 grams. Slasten cautioned that exceeding this daily limit increases the risk of developing atherosclerosis, a vascular condition where fatty deposits build up along artery walls.
