Association of workplace chronic and acute stressors with employee weight status: data from worksites in turmoil.

Abstract

To examine the independent and joint effects of psychosocial chronic and acute stressors with weight status and to report the intraclass correlation coefficient for body mass index (BMI). Baseline data on 2782 employees from a group-randomized weight gain prevention intervention were examined to investigate the effect of high job strain and job insecurity on BMI and on the odds of overweight/obesity including potential confounders and mediating variables. Data were analyzed using mixed models. The mediating variables removed the effect of high job strain on weight (beta = 0.68, P = 0.07; odds ratios = 1.34, confidence interval = 1.00 to 1.80) whereas job insecurity was never significant. Intraclass correlation coefficient for BMI is 0.0195, 0.0193, and 0.0346 overall, for men and women, respectively. Worksite wellness should target health enhancing behaviors to minimize the health effects of psychosocial work conditions.