By: Shelagh McNally
We already know that being overworked causes stress and fatigue. Well, now you can add weight gain to your list of work-related woes.
| Take this quiz based on the University of Helsinki research. How many of these statements do you agree with: |
I feel totally worn out at the end of the workday
I wake up tired on workdays
I work too hard
I often feel stressed out at work
I often feel completely exhausted.
I worry about my work even when I'm off duty.
If you agree with four or more of these statements you could be suffering from high work fatigue that has been linked to weight gain.
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According to a recent study completed by the Helsinki Health Study, a research group in the University of Helsinki Department of Public Health, being overworked, tired and unhappy at your job leads to weight gain. The study entitled “Psychosocial working conditions and weight gain among employees” studied 7,000 women and 2,000 men between the ages of 40 and 60. All participants were employees of the City of Helsinki, allowing researchers to examine the link between working conditions and weight gain. Employees were asked to rate their “work fatigue” - number of hours worked and the weight gained in the last year. Those employees who complained of feeling exhausted at the end of the working day or with particularly stressful jobs were more at risk of gaining weight than those with less demanding jobs. Weight gain resulting from work fatigue was highest amongst the women participants combining work with a family life. “This may be because of the uneven division of housework between the sexes,” suggested Tea Lallukka MSc (Nutrition), a member of the research team. “After a tough day at work, it is very easy to grab some fast food and treat yourself to something sweet, although you know it’s not good for you. Working long hours also means you have less time to exercise.” Men with highly demanding jobs were also more likely to gain weight than those men with low job demands.
For many Americans the 9 to 5 workday has been replaced by the 7 to 7 workday. The average American is working nine hours of overtime per week and each year works 350 hours more than the average Europeans and 70 more than the average Japanese worker. While Europeans are off enjoying their six-weeks of vacations per year many Americans are foregoing vacations to put in even longer hours.
At the same time, the population is also getting fatter. Obesity has doubled from 15 percent in 1980 to 27 percent in 1999. In barely a decade, the estimated number of obese adults worldwide has skyrocketed from 200 million to more than 300 million. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that about six out of 10 Americans were either overweight or obese. The growing trend of obesity is an epidemic with huge economic cost and serious consequences on public health. “Obesity is a general public health problem. Occupational health services should focus more effectively on preventing obesity. Working conditions should be acknowledged as a potential cause of weight gain,” said Lallukka.
