High-Pressure Jobs Cause Greater Weight Gain In Women, States New Study From Sweden

A new study has found that heavy work pressure might cause women to gain weight, after researchers included more than 3,800 in Sweden as part of their tests, reports Hindustan Times.

Sofia Klingberg, the lead author of the study, stated that they saw a correlation between high job demands and women gaining weight, something they didn't see in men.

The study was published in the International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health journal. Men and women were investigated on three occasions over a span of 20 years, in variables such as body weight and demands and control at work. The subjects were either from age 30 to 50 or 40 to 60. The respondents were questioned on their work pace, psychological pressures, sufficient time for their work and how often the demands made were contradictory.

The ones (both men and women) with a low degree of control in their work gained 10 per cent of weight throughout the study. High-demand jobs, however, made an impact only on women. Over half the women in the research, who were subject to high- demands, saw a significant weight increase, 20 per cent higher than women in low- demand jobs.

Klingberg added that, “It may conceivably be about a combination of job demands and the greater responsibility for the home that women often assume. This may make it difficult to find time to exercise and live a healthy life.”

Factors like academic education or its lack, quality of diet and lifestyle among other factors do not explain the associations in the study. However, information about dietary intake has come with certain inaccurate reporting.