MOSCOW, October 19 (RIA Novosti) – The more hours people spend working at the office, the more they tend to become obese, according to a study published by Joelle Abramowitz, an economist at the US Census Bureau, the Economist reported.
For every 10 additional hours that employees put in the office per week, their body-mass index (BMI) increases by 0.2 for men and 0.4 for women, Abramowitz said. In other words, 1.4 pounds (635g) and 2.5 pounds (1.23kg), respectively, according to the scientific news website Big Think.
Nowadays, only 20 percent of Americans have somewhat strenuous jobs, compared to 50 percent in 1960. More time spent at the office means less movement.
Workaholics have less time to prepare high-quality meals, and instead prefer to eat less-healthy take-away meals. They also exercise and sleep less. A combination of these factors results in weight gain, the Economist reported, referring to Abramowitz’s study.
