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. 2010 Jan;52 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S34-41.
doi: 10.1097/JOM.0b013e3181c88525.

Association of workplace chronic and acute stressors with employee weight status: data from worksites in turmoil

Isabel Diana Fernandez  1 , Haiyan Su, Paul C Winters, Hua Liang
Affiliations

Association of workplace chronic and acute stressors with employee weight status: data from worksites in turmoil

Isabel Diana Fernandez et al. J Occup Environ Med. 2010 Jan.

Erratum in

  • J Occup Environ Med. 2013 Dec;55(12):1488. Su, Hayan [corrected to Su, Haiyan]

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the independent and joint effects of psychosocial chronic and acute stressors with weight status and to report the intraclass correlation coefficient for body mass index (BMI).

Methods: Baseline data on 2782 employees from a group-randomized weight gain prevention intervention were examined to investigate the effect of high job strain and job insecurity on BMI and on the odds of overweight/obesity including potential confounders and mediating variables. Data were analyzed using mixed models.

Results: The mediating variables removed the effect of high job strain on weight (beta = 0.68, P = 0.07; odds ratios = 1.34, confidence interval = 1.00 to 1.80) whereas job insecurity was never significant. Intraclass correlation coefficient for BMI is 0.0195, 0.0193, and 0.0346 overall, for men and women, respectively.

Conclusion: Worksite wellness should target health enhancing behaviors to minimize the health effects of psychosocial work conditions.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Hypothesized conceptual framework of the causal pathways linking working conditions with employee weight status. Adapted from Lallukka, T. Doctoral Dissertation. 2008.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Psychological demand – decision latitude model. Source: Karasek
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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