University of York Study Finds Obesity Linked to 4.2 Point Lower UK Employment Rate, With Larger Effect for Men

GB News reported that research from the University of York found obesity reduces an individual's likelihood of holding a job by 4.2 percentage points. The study examined data from 284,258 UK Biobank participants and placed the overall employment rate at 75.5 percent, with roughly one-quarter meeting the clinical definition of obesity.

Obesity cut employment likelihood by 6.6 percentage points for men and by 2.1 percentage points for women.

GB News reported that official figures show 15 million British adults are classified as obese and that obesity rates have doubled since the 1990s, leaving two-thirds of UK adults overweight or obese. The same analysis found that obese individuals were less likely to hold university qualifications. Education appeared to provide a protective effect against weight-related joblessness.

Dr Katz stated that the contrasting findings point to different labour-market consequences of obesity for men and women. The UK Government has launched pilot programmes providing weight-loss injections to unemployed individuals. Separate research presented earlier this year showed weight-loss treatments cut sick days by 45 percent after nine months and reduced longer-term absences of five days or more by 56 percent.

Experts have suggested a wider rollout could free up close to 10 million GP appointments and reduce obesity-related A&E visits by a quarter.