Job Stress News Obesity Study

By: Mary Smith
03/31/2010 10:42 AM ET

Job stress news reveals that chronic employment stress and lack of exercise can lead to weight gain and obesity. It is part of a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center. The study also revealed that 72 to 75 percent of the working population who were assessed were overweight.

It is one of the first studies that link high work pressure with cardiovascular disease. In fact, the same stress can cause symptoms of depression, exhaustion, and anxiety. Researchers recommend that companies should take care of their employees who survive layoffs.

Stress environments, such as company layoffs, are bad for health. The study recommends that companies should focus on strengthening wellness programs to provide good nutrition and ways to deal with increasing employment demands. Workers should also find time for physical activity that is built into the regular workday schedule.

Diets that include fruits and vegetables can also cut the effect of job stress that leads to weight gain. However, exercise is a proven way to help with stress and keeping the body healthy. Proper diet, sleep, and physical activity is the perfect medicine.

Employers Continue To Cut Workers

March wasn’t very good for private-sector employers. There were more cuts added to the nation’s decline in employment, according to an ADP report. More than 23,000 workers were cut in March, but it is the smallest monthly decline since February 2008.

The decline surprised many economists. Economists were expecting a gain of 40,000 jobs in the month. The number of job cuts in February was revised to a loss of 24,000 jobs from the previously reported 20,000.

“American businesses are on the cusp of recovery, yet this report shows that they remain hesitant to increase their payrolls,” Gary Butler, chief executive of ADP, said in a statement.

The service sector reported an increase of 28,000 jobs in March. This marks the second consecutive monthly increase and the highest employment growth since March of 2008. However, that growth was offset by a loss of 51,000 jobs in the goods-producing sector and a drop of 9,000 manufacturing workers.

Small To Large Businesses

Large businesses, those with 500 or more workers, saw employment decline by 7,000 jobs. Small-size businesses with fewer than 50 workers had a drop of 12,000 workers. Employment among medium-size businesses, defined as those with between 50 and 499 workers, declined by 4,000.

ADP Versus Government’s Monthly Report

Many economists view the ADP report as a proxy for the government’s monthly jobs report, which comes out Friday. That report is expected to show a gain of 190,000 jobs in March, in comparison to a loss of 36,000 workers in February. The unemployment rate is expected to remain unchanged from 9.7%.

Some economists may revise their estimates in light of Wednesday’s report. However, the ADP report was not impacted in February by the effects of severe winter weather, while the government report was.