title: Social stress at work and change in women's body weight.
abstract: Social stressors at work (such as conflict or animosities) imply disrespect or a lack of appreciation and thus a threat to self. Stress induced by this offence to self might result, over time, in a change in body weight. The current study investigated the impact of changing working conditions--specifically social stressors, demands, and control at work--on women's change in weighted Body-Mass-Index over the course of a year. Fifty-seven women in their first year of occupational life participated at baseline and thirty-eight at follow-up. Working conditions were assessed by self-reports and observer-ratings. Body-Mass-Index at baseline and change in Body-Mass-Index one year later were regressed on self-reported social stressors as well as observed work stressors, observed job control, and their interaction. Seen individually, social stressors at work predicted Body-Mass-Index. Moreover, increase in social stressors and decrease of job control during the first year of occupational life predicted increase in Body-Mass-Index. Work redesign that reduces social stressors at work and increases job control could help to prevent obesity epidemic.
authors.affiliation: Department of Work and Organisational Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Maria U
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Kottwitz
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grebner
authors.forename: Norbert K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Semmer
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tschan
authors.forename: Achim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elfering
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015430:Weight Gain; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult