Female employees and male and female managers are the most at risk for gaining weight on the job, according to a survey by CareerBuilder.
The recruitment firm came to that conclusion after seeking input from more than 3,000 employees. More than half self-reported as overweight, and 39 percent claim they've gained weight at their current job. Forty-five percent said their weight has stayed the same, while 16 percent reported weight loss.
Of those reporting weight gains, one in five said they'd gained 10 pounds, and one in 10 reported putting on 20 pounds.
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Women workers reported a higher incidence of weight gain than men — 46 percent v. 33 percent. More than half of the men and women surveyed said they exercise regularly, with the male reported percentage slightly higher (59 percent v. 56 percent).
Managers say they tend to put on the pounds more often than do the direct reports (44 percent of bosses compared to 38 percent of non-managers).
Older workers gain more than do younger workers — no surprise there – "with 40 percent of workers ages 35 and older gaining weight, compared to 36 percent of those under 35 years of age. Eighteen- to 24-year-olds were the least likely, with 30 percent saying they put on extra pounds," the report said.
And, despite all the opportunities for outdoor activity way out West, workers in that part of the country "were the most likely to pack on pounds, with 44 percent saying they've put on weight at their current job. They were followed by the Northeast (40 percent), the South (37 percent) and the Midwest (37 percent)."
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Dan Cook
Dan Cook is a journalist and communications consultant based in Portland, OR. During his journalism career he has been a reporter and editor for a variety of media companies, including American Lawyer Media, BusinessWeek, Newhouse Newspapers, Knight-Ridder, Time Inc., and Reuters. He specializes in health care and insurance related coverage for BenefitsPRO.
