Occupational factors associated with 4-year weight gain in Australian adults.
OBJECTIVE
This article examined whether occupational factors predicted 4-year change in body mass index (BMI) in a sample of full-time Australian employees.


METHODS
Data from 1670 full-time Australian employees were collected through the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine whether several occupational factors at baseline predicted changes in BMI at 4-year follow up; several health and demographic covariates were controlled.


RESULTS
Inflexible working hours (odds ratio = 1.54, 95% confidence interval [1.14 to 2.09]) and weekend work (odds ratio = 1.33, 95% confidence interval [1.04 to 1.68]) significantly predicted increased BMI.


CONCLUSIONS
This article demonstrates that certain occupational factors (ie, inflexible work hours and weekend work) significantly predicted increased BMI. Targeting these factors may play a role in combating obesity and related health problems among employees.
Magee
Christopher A
CA
School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia. cmagee@uow.edu.au
Caputi
Peter
P
Stefanic
Natalie
N
Iverson
Don C
DC
D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*; D016526:Workload; D055815:Young Adult