Obesity, diabetes interfere with work productivity
Obese workers with type 2 diabetes report less productivity on the job than their normal-weight co-workers, according to a new study of 7,338 working adults.1
"We obtained information directly from individuals on how effective they were at the workplace to provide their perspective of the impact of diabetes and obesity on patients' lives," said study co-author Kathleen Fox, PhD, president of Strategic Healthcare Solutions, a private health research group.
In a survey of adults with or at risk for diabetes, participants answered questions about missed work time, reduced on-the-job effectiveness and impairment in daily activities. The analysis, which appears in the May/June issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion, found that being obese and having diabetes predicted on-the-job problems with productivity.
Obese people with type 2 diabetes experienced the most work impairment, losing 11-15% of work time — about 5.9 hours per week -- because of health problems that affected productivity on the job, said Fox. In comparison, normal-weight participants at low risk for diabetes reported losing only 9% of work time — about 3.6 hours per week — due to health problems. Obese workers with type 2 diabetes also experienced the most problems off the job, reporting impairment during 20-34% of their daily activities, such as shopping, exercising, and childcare.
Anne Wolf, an instructor at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, says, the study supports previously published research that "the heavier people are, the more lost productivity at work." What differed was that researchers found an independent effect of diabetes on productivity, said Wolf, who specializes in researching the economic impact of obesity.
"From an employer's perspective, this study provides evidence that workplace wellness programs that include weight loss and weight management would be beneficial for obese employees with or at risk for diabetes," Fox said.
Wolf agreed. "Employers who spend money in a lifestyle intervention will find their investment returned to them in the form of increased productivity and reduced absenteeism," she said.
The pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca LP provided funds to support this research.
Reference
- Rodbard HW, et al. Impact of obesity on work productivity and role disability in individuals with and at risk for diabetes mellitus. Am J Health Promo 2009; 23(5).
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