- A new international study suggests a link between longer working hours and higher obesity rates, with researchers finding that a “balanced life” leads to better health outcomes.
- The study, presented at ECO 2026, compared working patterns and obesity prevalence across 33 OECD countries from 1990 to 2022, noting that countries with longer annual working hours, such as the US, Mexico, and Colombia, also had higher obesity rates.
- Researchers found that reducing annual working hours by just 1 per cent was associated with a 0.16 per cent decrease in obesity rates, attributing this to more time for physical activity and less stress-related eating.
- The study highlighted that other factors also play a role, with higher income levels and increased urbanisation linked to lower obesity rates, while acknowledging that the findings show association, not direct causation.
- As of 2022, the United States reported the highest adult obesity rate among the 30 OECD countries at 41.99 per cent, Japan had the lowest at 5.54 per cent, and the UK's rate stood at 26.8 per cent.
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