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. 2014 May;56(5):516-28.
doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000000133.

Prevalence of obesity by occupation among US workers: the National Health Interview Survey 2004-2011

Ja K Gu  1 , Luenda E Charles, Ki Moon Bang, Claudia C Ma, Michael E Andrew, John M Violanti, Cecil M Burchfiel
Affiliations

Prevalence of obesity by occupation among US workers: the National Health Interview Survey 2004-2011

Ja K Gu et al. J Occup Environ Med. 2014 May.

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of obesity and the change of prevalence of obesity between 2004-2007 and 2008-20011 by occupation among US workers in the National Health Interview Survey.

Methods: Self-reported weight and height were collected and used to assess obesity (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m). Gender-, race/ethnicity-, and occupation-specific prevalence of obesity were calculated.

Results: Prevalence of obesity steadily increased from 2004 through 2008 across gender and race/ethnicity but leveled off from 2008 through 2011. Non-Hispanic black female workers in health care support (49.2%) and transportation/material moving (46.6%) had the highest prevalence of obesity. Prevalence of obesity in relatively low-obesity (white-collar) occupations significantly increased between 2004-2007 and 2008-2011, whereas it did not change significantly in high-obesity (blue-collar) occupations.

Conclusions: Workers in all occupational categories are appropriate targets for health promotion and intervention programs to reduce obesity.

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Conflict of interest statement

None of the authors have any conflicts of interest. Authors used CDC public leased data.

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