It's no surprise to healthcare staffing professionals that obesity is an epidemic in the U.S. More than one-third of American adults are obese, according the Journal of American Medicine. Now, more than half of workers (55 percent) categorize themselves as overweight, while many believe they've gained weight at their current job, a new national survey found.
In fact, 39 percent blame their job for adding on the pounds, with 21 percent putting on more than 10 pounds and 9 percent putting on more than 20 pounds. For the average American, a 20-pound weight gain could tip the scale from healthy to hazardous, according to the survey. The survey, conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder in 2014, involved a representative sample of more than 3,000 full-time, private sector workers across industries and company sizes.
Overweight industries
Certain industries have employees with the most weight gain. For example, information technology (with 50 percent of employees feeling overweight) and government (with 48 percent) were the top two industries most likely for employees to tack on extra pounds. The remaining overweight industries included:
- Financial services – 46 percent
- Healthcare – 42 percent
- Professional and business services – 42 percent
Heaviest job
As it turns out, employees in managerial roles tend to pack on the most pounds. According to the survey, 44 percent of managers have upped their waistline in their current job, in comparison with 38 percent of people in non-management roles. While no direct explanation was given for this by researchers, it's reasonable to believe that management bears a heavier workload with heightened responsibilities that come with stress, which means less time to workout and perhaps more stress-induced eating.
Women
Those working on travel nurse jobs might want to keep an eye out for weight gain among women, since the survey showed 46 percent of female workers said they've tacked on pounds in their current job, compared to 33 of their male counterparts. In addition, men reported going to the gym more frequently to get in a workout.
Older workers
Employees ages 35 and older were found more likely to gain weight. Forty percent of them said that they added more pounds on, whereas 36 percent of those ages 35 and younger experienced weight gain. Meanwhile, 18- to 24-year-olds were the least likely. For medical staffing, this is perhaps unsurprising, since the metabolism operates at a faster pace among young people.
Ways to stay slim at work
So, how do you stay fit at work? Here are a few tips for travel nurse professionals to share with their patients:
Avoid snacking: Travel nursing professionals should remind their patients that snacking on junk food at work is the last thing their bodies need. Instead, incorporate super foods at lunch. A total of 22 percent of workers who have gained weight on the job blame part of it on colleagues who bring treats into the office. If a co-worker brings in donuts and coffee, ask yourself if you actually need it. It's OK to politely decline. Set personal rules concerning treats in the office, such as an only-Friday policy or one snack per week.
Walk around: Nowadays, many employees sit at a desk all day long. Instead of getting up and walking across the room to talk to a colleague, it's all too common just to instant message them on the computer. Be sure to have your patients stretch their legs every now and then.
Make exercise a habit: This is perhaps the most important tip. Forty-two percent of employees don't exercise regularly and 13 percent don't exercise at all. Make a plan to work out at least four or five days each week. To do this, people can wake up early, join a gym or work at a standing desk when applicable.