Workers have been warned against having a cake at work to celebrate colleagues birthdays, engagements or parties, as the practice is dangerous to one’s health.

He said "Managers want to reward staff for their efforts, colleagues want to celebrate special occasions, and workers want to bring back a gift from their holidays.

"But for many people the workplace is now the primary site of their sugar intake and is contributing to the current obesity epidemic and poor oral health."

He believed employers must reward workers with fruit, nuts or cheese instead.

"Ideally office workers should consider other alternatives altogether like fruit platters, nuts, or cheese. Responsible employers should take a lead and avoid such snacks in meetings," he said.

Nearly 65,000 adults every year need hospital treatment for tooth decay, Prof Nigel Hunt said.

He has therefore recommended for office cake to be bought in smaller quantities and consumed only with lunch.