Expert Highlights Pros And Cons Of Skipping Meals At Work

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A new study finds 1 in 2 American workers do not take a lunch break, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The majority of people surveyed say leaving work behind to eat is unrealistic because of intense workloads and pressure to perform, reports CBS2's Alex Denis.

For example, Liz Angel is a digital media director who says she is just too busy to stop for 30 minutes to eat lunch.

"There is too much to do and I find that if I leave, my routine it is hard to get back into," she said.

Angel is not alone.

Ravi Kudesia is a Human Resources Management professor at Temple University.

"We wear our busyness as a badge of honor and we kind of also like to be seen as the person working right by their computer," said Ravi Kudesia, a human resources management professor at Temple University.

Experts say not stopping to eat is actually good for some people, driving energy into their work and helping them stay focused. But it's not that way for everyone.

"On the negative side, it leads to burnout," said Kudesia "So there's this double edge sword. I'm going to perform better but I might be coming home at the end of the day depleted."

Kudesia says if a 30-minute lunch break isn't an option, try to take several smaller breaks during the day to clear your mind and fuel up even if you have a lot on your plate.

The study also finds more people are snacking to stay energized: 44 percent of people surveyed say they have a snack drawer at work to keep them going throughout the day.