A poor work-life balance could make it harder to keep the weight off, according to a study that suggests people who work longer hours are more likely to be obese.
More time spent working at a desk can mean less time spent exercising. Long, extended working hours may also contribute to stress-related eating and elevated cortisol levels – both of which are associated with weight gain, researchers explained.
“When people have a more balanced life, they have a better life,” said Dr Pradeepa Korale-Gedara of the University of Queensland, Australia, who is the lead author of the study.
“They have less stress, they can focus on more nutritious food and engage in more physical activities.”
The international study presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2026) in Istanbul compared working patterns and obesity prevalence for 33 OECD countries, including the UK, from 1990 to 2022.
It found that countries such as the US, Mexico and Colombia, which have longer annual working hours, also had higher obesity rates.
But reducing annual working hours by just 1 per cent was associated with a 0.16 per cent decrease in obesity rates.
However, the study only shows an association and does not prove longer working hours cause obesity, as income levels from different countries could also be a factor.
Higher income levels were linked to lower obesity rates, with a 1 per cent increase in GDP per capita associated with a 0.112 per cent reduction in obesity.
Living in urban areas also plays a role, with a 1 per cent increase in urbanisation associated with a 0.02 per cent decrease in obesity.
As of 2022, the United States reported the highest adult obesity rate among the 30 OECD countries at 41.99 per cent, while Japan had the lowest at 5.54 per cent.
Several countries including Chile, Mexico, and New Zealand, also exhibit high obesity rates exceeding 30 per cent, whereas several European nations, particularly in Northern and Western Europe, maintain rates below 20 per cent. But the UK sits between these extremes at 26.8 per cent.
The UK has one of the worst obesity rates in Europe. About 3.8 million children between the ages of five and 19 years in the UK have a high BMI – that’s around twice as high as the number of children who are overweight or obese in France and Italy.
“The findings suggest that the relationship between working hours and obesity is complex and influenced by various socio-economic and cultural factors,” the study authors wrote.
“These patterns point to potential mechanisms such as reduced time for physical activity, increased work-related stress, and greater reliance on energy-dense convenience foods.
“Higher GDP per capita, greater urbanisation, and higher food prices were negatively associated with adult obesity prevalence, suggesting that improved economic conditions, more supportive urban environments, and higher relative food costs may facilitate healthier dietary choices.”