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rpannier

(24,304 posts)
Mon Jun 23, 2014, 05:40 AM Jun 2014

Obesity Linked to Long-Term Unemployment in U.S.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans who have been out of work for a year or more are much more likely to be obese than those unemployed for a shorter time. The obesity rate rises from 22.8% among those unemployed for two weeks or less to 32.7% among those unemployed for 52 weeks or more.

snip

Gallup tracks U.S. obesity levels daily using Americans' self-reported height and weight to calculate body mass index (BMI) scores as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. Individuals with BMI scores of 30 or higher are considered obese. The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index also tracks the percentages of Americans who report that they have ever been diagnosed with various health conditions related to obesity, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

snip

Jobless Americans may be more likely to fall into such a cycle if a higher incidence of health problems hinders their efforts to find a good job. Those out of work for 27 weeks or more report experiencing an average of 4.7 days out of the past 30 when poor health kept them from doing their usual activities. That compares with an average of 2.8 lower-productivity days for those unemployed for a shorter period, and just 1.4 days for full-time workers.

snip

One key concern raised by the current analysis is that employers in industries that require manual labor, such as manufacturing and construction, may be less likely to hire candidates who are clearly out of shape. If so, workers in these industries -- who already earn lower wages, on average, than those in knowledge-based sectors -- may be even more likely to be caught in a negative cycle of joblessness and poor health.

link:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/171683/obesity-linked-long-term-unemployment.aspx

http://www.ibtimes.com/many-long-term-unemployed-are-fat-not-happy-gallup-1606224

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yeoman6987

(14,449 posts)
2. I wonder who thinks up these studies
Mon Jun 23, 2014, 07:54 AM
Jun 2014

I guess they statisticians have jobs. I am just stunned by the studies that they come up with.

raccoon

(31,092 posts)
3. I bet one reason is that many of them are on antidepressants, and those drugs cause weight gain in
Mon Jun 23, 2014, 08:39 AM
Jun 2014

many people.

I couldn't believe neither of the articles in the links mentioned this.


I also saw a link there to another article, which I'm going to start a thread with. The title of the article:

"In U.S., Depression Rates Higher for Long-Term Unemployed"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025138423

(No shit, Sherlock.)

ladyVet

(1,587 posts)
4. It could also be due to the diet of the poor, which tends to be higher in carbohydrates.
Mon Jun 23, 2014, 10:15 AM
Jun 2014

Rice, bread and potatoes are still pretty cheap, and will fill you up.

raccoon

(31,092 posts)
5. Yes, it's hard to eat healthy when you're poor. Also if any of them had gym memberships or
Mon Jun 23, 2014, 10:45 AM
Jun 2014

personal trainers, those probably were dropped long ago.



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