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BMI and Labor Market Participation: A Cohort Study of Transitions Between Work, Unemployment, and Sickness Absence
Author(s) -
Bramming Maja,
Jørgensen Maja B.,
Christensen Anne I.,
Lau Cathrine J.,
Egan Kia K.,
Tolstrup Janne S.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1002/oby.22578
Subject(s) - unemployment , obesity , medicine , confounding , proportional hazards model , hazard ratio , cohort , disability pension , demography , cohort study , environmental health , population , confidence interval , economics , sociology , economic growth
Objective This study aimed to test the hypotheses that individuals with obesity are at higher risk of unemployment and sickness absence and have a lower chance of getting employed compared with individuals with normal weight. Methods Data on weight and height were collected at baseline from 87,796 participants in the Danish National Health Survey 2010. Participants were then followed in national registers for 5 years. Outcome measures were transitions from employment to unemployment and sickness absence and the transitions from unemployment or sickness absence to employment. Data were analyzed by Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for potential confounders. Results Hazard ratios for unemployment were 1.18 (95% CI: 1.10‐1.26) for individuals with obesity and 1.27 (95% CI: 1.14‐1.41) for individuals with severe obesity compared with individuals with normal weight. Participants with obesity also had a higher risk of sickness absence. Additionally, participants with obesity who were unemployed at baseline had a lower chance of becoming employed compared with participants with normal weight. Conclusions Obesity was associated with a higher risk of unemployment and sickness absence compared with individuals with normal weight. Additionally, obesity was associated with a lower chance of employment.