TAKING a lunch hour has become a luxury, according to a new survey which shows workers are more likely to miss lunch than take a full hour for it.

The lunchtime habits research, commissioned by snack manufacturer Ginsters, reveals that only 16 per cent of workers actually take a full 50 -- 60 minutes for lunch, while almost a fifth of workers do not take a break at all.

A quick half hour for lunch has become the usual practice, according to the statistics, with almost a quarter of people grabbing between 20 - 30 minutes at midday.

The survey showed the people most likely to skip lunch are those that work in catering ( 34 per cent), the emergency services ( 34 per cent) and driving jobs ( 33 per cent. )