The connection between activities in our personal lives and obesity is well-documented. Television watching specifically shows a high correlation to obesity, according to a report from the Harvard School of Public Health that cites more than two decades of evidence.
The long-range effects of obesity aren’t limited to our time at home, though. A study that appeared in the July 2014 issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene reveals that physical stamina when fulfilling workplace responsibilities is lower among those who are obese than those who are not. Reduced energy levels can lead to fatigue, which is commonly associated with workplace injury.
Study shows possible link between weight gain & the office
The research, completed by a team at Virginia Tech, analyzed endurance levels of 32 study participants, who evenly represented four different populations:
- younger adults with obesity
- older adults with obesity
- younger adults without obesity
- older adults without obesity.
Notably, the researchers were interested in a particular type of work environment: manufacturing plants. For that reason, the study required the participants to perform three activities that used the muscles of the upper body in different ways:
- hand gripping
- elevation of shoulders at intervals
- product assembly simulation.
The study went beyond performance of the various tasks in isolation, though. Each time one of the various activities was performed, rest was built into the workflow, and the pace of task completion was controlled in a similar manner to a standard manufacturing plant.
The study found that obese individuals had far less endurance than their counterparts, with an average of 40% less stamina. The hand gripping and product assembly activities showed the greatest disparity. In contrast to previous studies that suggested endurance would decrease with age, the researchers did not observe any significant difference in stamina between the younger and older groups.
Weight gain & the office – preventing injury
The likelihood of workplace injury increases with fatigue, as indicated by studies that determined injuries were higher than average with shift-working Canadian nurses and night-shift Buffalo police officers. There are two basic ways to prevent fatigue from developing among the obese: the workplace can adjust expectations, and/or the individual can get medical weight loss assistance.
At Weston Medical, we know that obesity is a complex disease that is best solved with sophisticated healthcare strategies. Schedule an appointment now, and we will help you lose weight fast and keep it off.
