Something for the weekend: A survey has revealed the UK’s unhealthiest jobs, with estate and letting agents taking the top spot.
Oxford Online Pharmacy’s nationwide study of 2,000 Brits across 32 occupations found that more than a third (37%) of estate and letting agents said they blame workplace snacking for weight issues.
In joint second place, at 33%, were firefighters and broadcasters, who both said that workplace snacking was a weight loss barrier for them. Meanwhile, more than a quarter (27%) of taxi and lorry drivers stated the same. These professions also cited a lack of time to cook as a major reason why they could not lose weight.
The data also revealed that constant cravings, mental health or motivation, and the cost of healthy eating or exercise were the biggest weight loss barriers.
Kiran Jones, clinical pharmacist at Oxford Online Pharmacy, said: “It’s not always easy to eat when constantly moving from place to place or working inflexible hours and irregular eating patterns can have an impact on mood and energy levels. Encourage workers to set their own break times where they can eat in peace between jobs. Weight gain may affect employee wellbeing, which can be a catalyst for loss of productivity. Therefore, it’s in employers’ best interest to encourage healthy lifestyles.
“Invest in workplace wellbeing by encouraging employees to stand up, stretch and move more. This could be something as simple as introducing walking meetings, or short wellbeing breaks to deter stress-induced snacking. Workplaces should also ensure employees are aware of any support services that are available to them in and outside of the workplace, for their mental or physical health. And if they want additional support with their weight loss, allow them time during working hours to consult with a GP or specialist.”
There are many ways that employers can support their staff with their health if they have concerns about their weight, even if it is just signposting to free external resources!
