American Workers Take Obesity Sitting Down

According to a new survey, 45 percent of U.S. workers have gained weight at their current jobs. Not surprisingly, the industries with the highest reported weight gain also host some of the most sedentary occupations. Research proves that weight gain is strongly tied to sitting down on the job, literally. One 2005 study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine noted:

The current findings present the sedentary workplace as a potentially hostile environment in terms of overweight and obesity. The proclivity of the modern workplace for labor-saving technology reduces incidental physical activity, and with it the caloric expenditure needed to maintain healthy body weight.

Taking into account that most Americans spend a considerable amount of their waking hours at work, the amount workers move at their jobs largely influences their total physical activity. So employers determined to ensure their company’s heath should focus less on moving donuts out of the employees’ lounge and more on moving staff members off their behinds.