Enjoying morning donuts in the break room, eating catered lunches during meetings, sitting at a desk all day—our jobs can be a serious source of weight gain, according to a recent survey. CareerBuilder found that nearly half (44%) of workers say they have gained weight at their present jobs, and 55% of U.S. workers consider themselves overweight. Twenty-five percent of workers reported gaining more than 10 pounds, while 17% say they have lost weight.
When asked what contributed to their weight gain at their current jobs, 53% said “sitting at the desk most of the day,” 45% said they are “too tired from work to exercise,” and 36% of workers said “eating because of stress.”
Stress seems to be a big factor for workers who consider themselves overweight. CareerBuilder found that fewer than half of workers (41%) with extremely low stress levels feel that they are overweight, compared with 77% of workers with extremely high stress levels. This means that people who report extremely high work stress are 53% more likely to say they are overweight than people who say they have extremely low stress.
Workers who lost weight at their current jobs tend to snack less and eat out less, exercise more and take advantage of their employers’ wellness benefits. Even leaving one’s desk for lunch may encourage healthier habits, CareerBuilder found. Those who gained weight said they eat takeout or dine out at least once a week for lunch (63%) and eat lunch at their desk (65%).
Employees in transportation, health care, financial services and sales are more likely to have gained weight at their present jobs.
You can find more information about the survey here.