As we often discuss at Return to Work Matters, the workplace influences an individual's physical and psychological wellbeing. Health promotion activities aim to use the workplace to reduce chronic disease risk factors.

This study from the University of Wollongong explored whether work factors influenced people’s weight, and in particular, weight gain. Researchers explored patterns in weight over a four year period.

In exploring factors that influenced weight gain, the researchers found that people who had inflexible working hours had about 1.5 times the chance of increasing weight over the four year period. People who did weekend work were also more likely to gain weight over the four year period. These results accounted for any differences in the working conditions, pay rates and socioeconomic status of the study's participants.

The researchers do not venture a conclusion as to why people with inflexible hours are more likely to gain weight, but one would think there is a reasonable chance that people working in these environments were more likely to have reduced exercise or a poor diet. 

Obviously, in a number of industries people are still needed to work on weekends. However, many workplaces have recognised that the introduction of flexible working hours not only reduces the incidence of sickness absence overall, but can help employee wellbeing. This is yet another study to suggest that flexible working hours, where they can be introduced, enhance employee wellbeing.

Authors

Magee CA, Caputi P, Stefanic N & Iverson DC.

Institution

School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia. cmagee@uow.edu.au

Title

Occupational factors associated with 4-year weight gain in Australian adults.

Source

Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine.  52(10):977-81, 2010 Oct.

Country of Publication

United States

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This article examined whether occupational factors predicted 4-year change in body mass index (BMI) in a sample of full-time Australian employees.

METHODS: Data from 1670 full-time Australian employees were collected through the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine whether several occupational factors at baseline predicted changes in BMI at 4-year follow up; several health and demographic covariates were controlled.

RESULTS: Inflexible working hours (odds ratio = 1.54, 95% confidence interval [1.14 to 2.09]) and weekend work (odds ratio = 1.33, 95% confidence interval [1.04 to 1.68]) significantly predicted increased BMI.

CONCLUSIONS: This article demonstrates that certain occupational factors (ie, inflexible work hours and weekend work) significantly predicted increased BMI. Targeting these factors may play a role in combating obesity and related health problems among employees.

PubMed Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20881630