Job Stress and Obesity

A job that produces high stress levels for an employee can also be one of the causes for weight gain. Statistically, those with a stressful job will have a body mass index that is one unit heavier that co-workers who have a less stressful or more relaxed position within the company; one unit is equal to seven pounds. A stressful job in combination with a lack of physical activity will drastically increase the chances of employees being overweight. Science Daily has reported that, based on the facts from a recent study, even those with a balanced diet that contain fruits and vegetables, those with high stress and low activity levels will still have weight issues.

Reasons for Stress Induced Obesity

When an individual has a stressful job, they will usually want to go home and do literally nothing. More than 65% of employees with a stressful job report going home and watching at least two hours of television at the end of the day. Of these people, 77% of them are more likely to be overweight or obese. Employees who watch more than four hours of television after work will increase their odds of being obese by 150%.

Stressful conditions at work can have a profound effect on the health of employees. In addition to being unmotivated at the end of the day, high levels of stress can have an effect on the neuroendocrine system. This will result in increased production of abdominal fat. Stress will also cause an individual to consume more fatty and sugary foods, increasing weight gain.

Stress and Lack of Physical Activity

People who have a stressful job will often feel exhausted at the end of the day. When this is combined with frustration from the job, employees will be less likely to engage in any physical activity at the end of the day. They will usually want to sit in front of the television. When this happens, employees will typically have a poor diet as well.

Many employees who have a stressful job feel they are doing the work of other employees. This causes them to feel burned out and can lead to stress eating. More than 70% of all Americans will resort to eating when they are faced with stressful situations. When this happens, good food choices are not taken into consideration. These people will resort to comfort food, which is usually high in sugar, fat and calorie content.

Battling obesity can be a huge challenge for many people, no matter what the cause. Learning how to live simply, eat well and move more often at a weight loss retreat is one way to get started on the track toward a healthier lifestyle.