Over a third (36%) of workers claim they have put on weight as a result of their job, gaining an average of 7lbs, a survey has revealed.
Bad eating habits combined with a largely sedentary workforce has meant that 44% of UK employees would not recommend their career to someone who wanted to live a healthy lifestyle, according to a Canada Life survey.
As a result of poor diet and unhealthy weight, 21% of UK employees have suffered some form of illness in the past. However, almost a third (29%) of respondents reported that their employer did not provide any healthy lifestyle benefits or initiatives in the workplace.
Stress caused by problems at work also appears to be a growing threat, with over a third (36%) of workers stating that work-related stress had caused them to become physically unwell in the past. The amount of individuals attributing weight gain to the stress of their job also increased - nearly one in 10 (9%) UK workers gained weight in their role due to work-related stress, up from 6% in 2012.
According to job role, lawyers and those who worked in marketing, advertising and PR were the most likely to have linked stress at work to causing them to become unwell.
Employees who spent most of their hours at work sitting down were the most likely to directly blame their job for putting on weight, suggesting more sedentary jobs could lead to weight gain. Over half (56%) of IT workers - who were the most prone to work-related gain - felt they had put on weight because of their working environment.
In contrast, those in the hospitality, tourism and sport sector were the least likely (12%) to put on weight because of their role.
"There can't be many people who can say they haven't fallen into bad eating habits at work. Whether its falling prey to the office feeder who just can't resist bringing in naughty treats, eating lunch at your desk while working, or simply forgetting about lunch altogether and having to grab something unhealthy on the way home, all these bad habits add up to the tune of 7lbs a year for the average employee who has put on weight," said Canada Life Group Insurance marketing director Paul Avis.
"Putting on a couple of pounds is one thing, but when a poor diet and weight begins to cause illness, alarm bells should start to ring. Perhaps most alarming is that work-related stress appears to be a significant cause of weight gain, not to mention increased illness. Employers who are looking for a healthy, productive and happy workforce should be sure to implement and communicate initiatives that encourage a healthier lifestyle, or risk facing the inevitable fallout from an unhealthy, overweight and stressed out workforce."
