Survey: Workers Report Getting Tubbier

A CareerBuilder.com poll found 45% of respondents said they tip the scales at a higher weight compared to when they started in their current work situation. More than a quarter (26%) of employees report they have gained more than ten pounds, and 12% say they are more than 20 pounds heavier than when they started, according to a CareerBuilder news release.

Women were more likely (50%) than men (42%) to say they have gained weight at their current jobs.

Among industries, financial services employees (53%) and government employees (52%) reported the highest weight gains, the release said. Retail and leisure and hospitality had the lowest percentage of employees gain weight in their current roles, at 36% and 41%, respectively.

Eating habits can often be a culprit in workplace weight gain. Nearly two-in-five (38%) employees surveyed eat out for lunch twice or more per week, the survey found. An additional 12% buy their lunch out of a vending machine at least once a week. Some 66% of employees surveyed snack at least once a day, while nearly 25% snack at least twice a day.

Finally, according to the survey, only 9% of employees work up a sweat at the gym in the middle of the day.

The survey was conducted from February 11 through March 13, 2008, among 7,688 workers.