Work and non-work stressors, psychological distress and obesity: evidence from a 14-year study on Canadian workers.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of work, non-work and individual factors to obesity with regard to gender-related differences, and to clarify the mediating role that psychological distress plays in these dynamics in Canada from 1994 to 2008 using the Canadian National Population Health Survey (NPHS).


METHODS
Longitudinal.


METHODS
The NPHS is a randomised longitudinal cohort study with biennial interviews of the Canadian adult population from 18 to 64.


METHODS
5925 non-obese workers in cycle 1 (49% were women).


METHODS
Obesity was measured using the body mass index (BMI), with a threshold of BMI >30 kg/m(2). BMI was corrected in accordance with the recommendations of Connor Gorber et al to adjust for gender bias in responses.


RESULTS
Of the work characteristics evaluated, only decision authority was associated with obesity for women but not for men. Living as a couple, child-related strains, psychotropic drug use, hypertension, being physically inactive and low psychological distress were obesity risk factors but were not moderated by gender. Overall, psychological distress did not mediate the associations that work factors have on obesity.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggests that men and women differ little in the extent to which work, non-work and individual factors predict obesity. However, for women, the level of decision authority is associated with a lower obesity risk. In addition, psychological distress did not mediate the contribution of work factors and actually seems, contrary to expectations, to decrease the obesity risk when work, non-work and individual factors are taken into account.
School of Industrial Relations, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Alain
A
Marchand
School of Industrial Relations, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Nancy
N
Beauregard
University of Montreal Research Institute in Public Health, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Marie-Eve
ME
Blanc
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014937:Work; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*
Gender differences; Multilevel Analyses; Obesity; Psychological distress; Work stress