You aren’t alone at the office if you feel heavy, based on a new survey that found more than half of workers categorize themselves as overweight.
Almost half of the people who responded to the survey said they gained weight at the current job they have. A majority of those people said they had gained more than 10 pounds, and a quarter of the respondents said they had gained more than 20 pounds at their job.
Turns out that top brass position could have its drawbacks. Forty-four percent of people surveyed in management roles have gained weight in their current job, compared to 38 percent of people in non-management roles.
The other people most likely to gain weight are women, workers age 35 and up, and people working in Information Technology (IT) positions. Forty-six percent of female workers said they’ve gained weight on the job, compared to 33 percent of their male counterparts.
Men also responded that they are more likely to exercise on a consistent basis, with 59 percent regularly going to the gym compared to 56 percent of women.
The industries that outpaced the national average for weight gain were IT, government financial services, health care and professional and business services.
Regionally, workers in the West were most likely to gain weight, followed by the Northeast, South and Midwest.
On top of feeling antsy about the upcoming beach season, workers feel their is a bias against heavier people in the office.
People surveyed said that they believe their physical condition influences their treatment at work. One in five workers surveyed said that they feel “people who are thin and fit are shown more favoritism in their workplace.”
To battle weight gain CareerBuilder experts offered these tips.
Avoid treats that your coworkers always bring to the office. Don’t be afraid to decline, or to set a personal rule like “Friday’s only.”
Try to integrate exercise into daily routines by getting off of the bus early, taking the stairs or working at a standing desk. Try walking over to an employee instead of sending an email.
Almost one-third of those surveyed blamed their weight gain on regularly eating out, so try packing a lunch instead – it will help you with portion control.
Does your company provide gym memberships or wellness benefits? Look into such perks to take advantage of what may be offered.
The findings of this survey are on par with last year, CareerBuilder said. The survey was conducted online, from February 10 to March 4, 2013, with 3,022 professionals responding.
