Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110325

Myde Boles, PhD, Program Design and Evaluation Services, Multnomah County Health Department & Oregon Department of Human Services-Health Services, 800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 550, Portland, OR 97232, 503-731-4291, myde@comcast.net and Barbara Pelletier, MS, Aetna, Inc., 151 Farmington Ave., Hartford, CT 06156.

Objective: To provide evidence for the relationship between obesity and health-related absence, impaired performance on the job, and activity limitations. Sample: A cross-sectional analysis of 2264 employees of a large national employer. Measurement: A 20-question health risk assessment and a 6-question work productivity instrument that measured the percent of time missed from work (absenteeism), the percent of impairment while working (presenteeism), and the percent of activity impairment. Analysis: Mean productivity loss was compared for different levels of BMI using ANOVA. Logistic and linear regressions were used to determine the significance of BMI on productivity loss. All analyses controlled for age, gender, and health conditions associated with obesity. Results: About 60% of study participants were overweight (BMI 25 – 29.99) or obese (BMI 30 – 39.99) and 5% were severely obese (BMI 40 +). Participants with higher levels of BMI reported higher levels of presenteeism and activity impairment (p < 0.001). The highest odds of any productivity loss were 2.1 (95% C.I. 1.7 – 2.7) for individuals with high stress (presenteeism), 2.6 (1.3 – 5.1) for diabetes (absenteeism), and 2.1 (1.4 – 3.2) for severe obesity (activity impairment). The odds of any absenteeism or activity impairment were also significantly greater than 1.0 for overweight and obese individuals. Obesity was a significant predictor for individuals that experienced some presenteeism or activity impairment. Conclusion: Obesity is significantly associated with productivity loss and activity impairment, and individuals with severe obesity experienced more than double the amount of time missed or impaired compared to those at healthy weight.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize that obesity is significantly associated with productivity loss.
• Describe work productivity in terms of health-related absence, impaired performance on the job (presenteeism), and activity impairment.

Keywords: Obesity, Worksite

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.