Image by Augur Marketing via FlickrOCTOBER 17, 2011
By Phil Izzo
Just 1 in 7 U.S. workers is of normal weight without a chronic health problem, according toGallup polling data, and it could be costing the economy more than $153 billion a year in lost productivity from increased sick days.
Gallup polled more than 100,000 full-time workers, and found that two-thirds of the work force is either overweight or obese and nearly half are both overweight and have at least one chronic health problem. The numbers on obesity are calculated using self-reported height and weight, which means the numbers could be even higher. Studies have shown that people tend to underestimate their weight and overestimate their height.
Workers who were overweight or obese were more likely to miss work than those of normal weight, but chronic health problems were a much bigger factor. Even among those of normal weight, chronic conditions are prevalent, as nearly 60% of those workers report a continuing health issue. Chronic health problems included having ever been diagnosed with a heart attack, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer, diabetes, asthma, or depression; and recurring physical pain in the neck or back or knee or leg in the last 12 months.
Gallup estimates that 450 million days of work a year are missed because of weight and other health problems, resulting in an estimated cost of $153 billion in lost productivity.
“The $153 billion in lost productivity estimated in this analysis would increase if it included presenteeism, which is when employees go to work but are less productive in their jobs because of poor health or wellbeing. Including part-time employees would also add to the estimate of costs in lost productivity,” said Dan Witters and Sangeeta Agrawal who presented the data on Gallup’s Web site. They also point to a study that puts the figure much higher at $1.1 trillion.
The data were collected this year, and there is a chance that the slow-to-recover economy is making the problem worse. Workers are facing stressful conditions amid a stubbornly high unemployment rate and demands from wary employers to do more with less. The Mayo clinic notes that stress puts people at increased risk for developing health problems including obesity, depression and heart disease.
Taken from Wall Street Journa blogl; source article is below:
86% of Workers Obese or Have Other Health Issue
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