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Napping aside, when (or where) did "leaving your desk for lunch" become taboo? Is this an American thing?

In most places I've worked it would be unusual to stay at your desk for lunch, and in many places it would be discouraged. People really need to use their lunch time, however long or short, to actually take a break, not just from work but also from sitting in front of the computer, and maybe get a few minutes of fresh air and natural sunlight.

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On a trading desk, it's unusual for more than one or two people to leave their seats at a time for lunch. And often, the team will order delivery and one of the junior guys will go downstairs to pick it up.

Once, I left my seat to go to Starbucks for about twelve minutes. In that time, the AVGO/BRCM merger was announced, and my BRCM position made $500k in my absence.

So there's at least one major industry in NY where it's generally discouraged for people to leave their desks.

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