Work and non-work stressors, psychological distress and obesity: evidence from a 14-year study on Canadian workers

Occupational Disease in New York State: An Update

An assessment of occupational disease in New York State was undertaken that partially replicated and expanded earlier work from 1987. Utilizing an expanded conception of occupational disease, the assessment used a variety of data sources and methods to provide estimates of mortality and morbidity of occupational disease; workers exposed to specific workplace hazards; disparities in occupational disease among racial/ethnic groups and gender; costs and distribution of costs of occupational disease; and accessible occupational medical resources. Examples of the pathways work may impact health in some of the major health issues of current import including stress-related health conditions; substance use; and overweight/obesity were included. The report contains recommendations for addressing the problem of occupational disease in New York State and advocates for the convening of a statewide group to develop an occupational disease prevention agenda.

Work Characteristics, Body Mass Index, and Risk of Obesity: The National Quality of Work Life Survey

OBJECTIVES

To examine work characteristics in relation to body mass index (BMI) and risk of obesity.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 1150 participants working 20+ h week-1 from the 2014 National NIOSH Quality of Work Life Survey, based on a representative sample of US workers. We used multiple linear regression for BMI and multiple logistic regression for obesity to estimate associations with 19 different work characteristics plus one set of occupational categories controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, marital status, job physical exertion, and television watching.

RESULTS

We found significant positive linear associations between BMI and night shift (versus day shift) schedule (B = 2.28, P = 0.008) and blue-collar (versus management/professional) work (B = 1.75, P = 0.008). Night shift schedule [odds ratio (OR) = 2.19, P = 0.029], sales/office work (OR = 1.55, P = 0.040), and blue-collar work (OR = 2.63, P = 0.006) were associated with increased risk of obesity versus 'healthy weight'. No other statistically significant associations between work characteristics and BMI or obesity were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Night shift schedule and blue-collar work were related to increased BMI and obesity risk in US workers in 2014. Identifying risk factors in blue-collar work and redesigning jobs to reduce those risk factors, and reducing night shift work, could play a role in reducing the prevalence of obesity in the USA.

Work participation and physicality of work in young adulthood and the development of unhealthy lifestyle habits and obesity later in life: a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effects of early entry into the labour market and physicality of work in young adulthood on the development of obesity and unhealthy lifestyle habits later in life.

METHODS

This study is a part of the Young Finns Study. Entry into the labour market and physicality of work were measured at baseline, when participants were aged 18, 21, or 24 years in 1986 or 18 years in 1989. Follow-up of lifestyle habits were conducted in 2001, 2007 and 2011. The outcomes were obesity (n=5558 observations), abdominal obesity (n=4060 observations), daily smoking (n=5628) and leisure time physical activity (n=5946) and analysed with generalised estimating equation.

RESULTS

Compared with sedentary work, physicality of work in young adulthood increased the odds of future obesity (adjusted OR=1.32, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.74 for light/moderate work and OR=1.44, 95% CI 0.99 to 2.08 for heavy manual work (particularly in women OR=2.03, 95% CI 1.07 to 3.84)) and future smoking (OR=1.79, 95% CI 1.39 to 2.30 for light/moderate work and OR=2.01, 95% CI 1.47 to 2.76 for heavy manual work (particularly in women OR=2.81, 95% CI 1.60 to 4.91)). For those who entered the labour market at ages 18-21 or younger, the odds of smoking was 1.85 times (95% CI 1.26 to 2.73) and that of obesity 1.45 times (95% CI 1.01 to 2.10) higher, and the rate of leisure time physical activity was 0.73 times (95% CI 0.58 to 0.93) lower compared with those who entered the labour market at ages 22-24 years.

CONCLUSION

Early entry into the labour market and physicality of work in young adulthood shape the development of obesity and unhealthy behaviours in later adulthood.

Body mass index trajectories among the Canadian workforce and their association with work environment trajectories over 17 years

OBJECTIVE

To determine the number of latent body mass index (BMI) trajectories from 1994 to 2010 among working Canadians and their association with concurrent trajectories in work environment exposures.

METHODS

Data of employed individuals from the longitudinal Canadian National Population Health Survey were used. Group-based trajectory modelling was used to determine the number of latent BMI trajectories and concurrent psychosocial work environment trajectories. A multinomial logistic regression of BMI trajectory membership on trajectories in work environment dimensions (skill discretion, decision latitude, psychological demands, job insecurity, social support, physical exertion) was then explored.

RESULTS

Four latent BMI trajectories corresponding to normal, overweight, obese and very obese BMI values were found. Each trajectory saw an increase in BMI (~2-4 kg/m²) over the 17-year period. A higher decision authority trajectory was associated with lower odds of belonging to the overweight and obese trajectories when compared with the normal weight trajectory. A decreasing physical exertion trajectory was associated with higher odds of belonging to the very obese trajectory when compared with the normal weight trajectory.

CONCLUSIONS

Four BMI trajectories are present in the Canadian workforce; all trajectories saw increased body weight over time. Declining physical exertion and lower decision authority in the work environment over time is associated with increased likelihood of being in overweight and obese trajectories.

Do age and gender contribute to workers' burnout symptoms?

Background

Despite mounting evidence on the association between work stress and burnout, there is limited knowledge about the extent to which workers' age and gender are associated with burnout.

Aims

To evaluate the relationship between age, gender and their interaction with burnout in a sample of Canadian workers.

Methods

Data were collected in 2009-12 from a sample of 2073 Canadian workers from 63 workplaces in the province of Quebec. Data were analysed with multilevel regression models to test for linear and non-linear relationships between age and burnout. Analyses adjusted for marital status, parental status, educational level and number of working hours were conducted on the total sample and stratified by gender.

Results

Data were collected from a sample of 2073 Canadian workers (response rate 73%). Age followed a non-linear relationship with emotional exhaustion and total burnout, while it was linearly related to cynicism and reduced professional efficacy. Burnout level reduced with increasing age in men, but the association was bimodal in women, with women aged between 20-35 and over 55 years showing the highest burnout level.

Conclusions

These results suggest that burnout symptoms varied greatly according to different life stages of working men and women. Younger men, and women aged between 20-35 and 55 years and over are particularly susceptible and should be targeted for programmes to reduce risk of burnout.

Shift work and mental health: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Shift work is common. However, research findings are mixed regarding the impact of shift work on mental health. This systematic review sought to provide a comprehensive summary of existing research examining the association between different types of shift work and mental health. The review included large-scale, non-occupation-specific research.

METHODS

Four electronic databases PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science and SCOPUS were searched to identify studies that reported on the statistical association between shift work and mental health and that used population-based samples. Two reviewers extracted information about study characteristics and data on the association between shift work and mental health. A meta-analysis was performed for longitudinal studies adopting a 'broad binary' measure of shift work.

RESULTS

Thirty-three studies were included in the final review-10 cross-sectional studies, 22 longitudinal studies, and 1 study that included both. Findings were grouped based on whether the measure of shift work focussed on: (1) night/evening work, (2) weekend work, (3) irregular/unpredictable work schedule, or (4) a broad binary measure. There was a reasonable level of evidence that overall, when a broad binary measure was adopted, shift work was associated with poorer mental health-this finding was supported by the meta-analysis results. There was also some evidence that irregular/unpredictable work was associated with poorer mental health. There was less evidence for night/evening and minimal evidence for weekend work. Inconsistencies in study methodology, limited contrasting and combining the results.

CONCLUSIONS

The association between shift work and mental health is different across types of shift work. The evidence is strongest for a broad binary, general measure of shift work and for irregular or unpredictable shift work. There is a need for continued research that adopts consistent and clear measures of shift work.

Changes in job strain and subsequent weight gain: a longitudinal study, based on the Danish Nurse Cohort

Objective

Obesity as well as job strain is increasing, and job strain might contribute to weight gain. The objective of the current study was to examine associations between longitudinal alterations in the components of job strain and subsequent weight gain.

Design

The study was designed as a prospective cohort study with three questionnaire surveys enabling measurement of job-strain alterations over 6 years and subsequent measurements of weight gain after further 10 years of follow-up. ANCOVA and trend analyses were conducted. Job demands were measured as job busyness and speed, and control as amount of influence.

Setting

Employed nurses in Denmark.

Subjects

We included a sub-sample of 6188 female nurses from the Danish Nurse Cohort, which consisted of the nurses who participated in surveys in 1993, 1999 and 2009.

Results

A linear trend in weight gain was seen in nurses who were often busy in 1999 between those who were rarely v. sometimes v. often busy in 1993 (P=0·03), with the largest weight gain in individuals with sustained high busyness in both years. Loss of influence between 1993 and 1999 was associated with larger subsequent weight gain than sustained high influence (P=0·003) or sustained low influence (P=0·02). For speed, no associations were found.

Conclusions

Busyness, speed and influence differed in their relationship to subsequent weight gain. A decrease in job influence and a sustained burden of busyness were most strongly related to subsequent weight gain. Focus on job strain reduction and healthy diet is essential for public health.

Body mass index and psychosocial job quality: An analysis of working Australians from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey

The study investigated the association between psychosocial job quality and body mass index (BMI) by sex. Regression models examining potential differences in the job stressor-BMI relationship between men and women were conducted using longitudinal data from working Australians and a psychosocial job stressor index. There was strong evidence of an association between psychosocial job stressors and BMI for females but not males. Compared with no psychosocial job stressors, 1 adversity was associated with 0.13 kg/m2 (95% CI: -0.42-0.67); 2 adversities were associated with 0.53 kg/m2 (-0.00-1.07); and 3 or more adversities were associated with 0.87 kg/m2 (0.30-1.45) increase in mean BMI for females. Females were found to have on average 0.32 kg/m2 (0.16-0.49) increase in BMI per increase in psychosocial job stressor. Psychosocial job stressors appear to have an adverse effect on women's weight.