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Most of us are guilty of tucking into the odd sandwich while hunched over our desks but while eating lunch at the office might seem harmless, experts say it is quite the opposite, the Daily Mail reports. 

According to researchers, people who regularly eat at their desks or in the office canteen are not only more likely to be obese, they also tend to have lower levels of vitamins and sky high cholesterol as well.

The findings are the result of a new study that looked at the link between health and the number of meals eaten away from home.

'We found participants who ate six or more meals a week away from home had a higher body mass index and lower concentrations of high-density lipoprotein - a molecule that removes excess cholesterol from the blood,' Ashima Kant, who led the study, told The Sunday Times.

'They also had lower concentrations of nutrients, including vitamins C and E, in their blood. This effect was found to be more pronounced in women and in adults over the age of 50.'

The study looked at 8,314 people over five years and focused on the relationship between participants' health and the number of meals eaten outside the home.

Although many did eat meals in fast food restaurants, the study was designed to look beyond traditionally unhealthy foods and at people who chose 'healthy' options from high street cafes such as Pret A Manger.

Interestingly, the results held true for all meals eaten outside the home, regardless of whether workers made a healthy choice or not.