Balance free office snacks and lunches out with fitness
Forty-five percent of workers say they’ve gained weight at their current job, according to a new survey — but data suggests exercising for four or more days a week could prevent a work-related increase.
Twenty-six percent of workers said they gained more than 10 pounds; one in 10 (11 percent) put on more than 20 pounds during their time with their employer.
Fifty-three percent of employees who have gained weight feel sitting at a desk all day contributes to weight gain at work; 49 percent named being too tired from work to exercise as a factor.
The research seems to support the notion exercise may help ward off job-correlated weight gain. The survey found 26 percent of U.S. workers who regularly exercise four or more days a week lost weight at their present job, compared to 12 percent who regularly work out three or fewer days a week.
Forty-two percent of workers don’t work out regularly or at all; and 48 percent of that group say they gained weight at their current job.
What employees eat, not surprisingly, can also affect their weight. In addition to eating out at least three times a week, which nearly a quarter of U.S. workers do, 72 percent snack while at work.
Find out more about why, in addition to sitting at a desk all day, employees feel they’re gaining weight at work in this press release from CareerBuilder.