title: Establishing links between health and productivity in the New Zealand workforce.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide the first investigation of individual health behaviors and measures of work performance in New Zealand.
  
  
  METHODS
  Health risk assessments were completed by 747 adults aged 18 to 65 years. Associations between measures of productivity and health risk factors were assessed using multiple stepwise regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants with low to moderate psychological distress levels and who were physically active reported a work performance 6.5% (P < 0.001) and 3.5% (P < 0.001) higher, respectively. Furthermore, high psychological distress and smoking accounted for 16.8 (P < 0.001) and 11.6 (P = 0.038) additional absentee hours over the previous 4 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The impact that psychological distress, physical inactivity, and smoking have on productivity suggests that employers may benefit from contributing to health promotion within the workplace.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Faculty of Health & Environmental, Sciences, AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand. mikki.williden@aut.ac.nz
authors.forename: Micalla
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Williden
authors.forename: Grant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schofield
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duncan
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004526:Efficiency; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009520:New Zealand; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012907:Smoking; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014937:Work; D055815:Young Adult