Obesity and Stress Linked to Occupation

Transport workers such as airline pilots, truck drivers and rail workers are more prone to obesity, diabetes and heart disease due to the sedentary nature of their work, the strains of working shifts and work-related stress according to the Transport Medical Institute of Bulgaria.

A recent study examined the BMI (body mass index) of 5,695 Bulgarian transport workers and found that 65% were overweight or obese. The workers were also more likely to sufferfrom type II diabetes and heart disease compared to the general population.

More than 57% of diabetes cases and 17% of heart disease are attributed to obesity.

Meanwhile in the UK, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) believe around 500,000 British workers suffer from work-related stress and depression.

One in five people claim they are "very" or "extremely" stressed and 150,000 workers have taken more than a month off work for stress.

Elizabeth Gyngell of the HSE believes this is a problem for employers as well as employees: "We recognise there is a considerable pressure in the modern competitive workplace, but there is a difference between the buzz people get from doing a busy job and staff simply being unable to cope with the strains placed upon them. A burnt-out workforce is an unproductive workforce".

The UK has the longest working hours in Europe, second only to the US in the developed world.

Saturday, 30 June 2001