AS Adekoya^1,2*, CI Ojo² and OA Mafimidiwo²

¹SAM Obesity Consult, Nigeria
²Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author: Agron M Rexhepi, Institute of Sports Anthropology, Rr. Sali Butka Nr, Prishtina, Kosovo.

Received: December 27, 2021; Published: February 16, 2022

Abstract

Background: Globally, obesity epidemic have implications for workforce, such as its effects on employment and occupation. It can prevent people from being in paid work due to poor health resulting in social or work discrimination. This study is to investigate the effects of BMI on occupation and employment status.

Dataset/Methods: Participants of working age (20-64yrs), adult males and females were randomly selected (n = 240). The BMI was measured using ≥ 30 kg/m² as the cut-off; and the employment status categorized based on their occupation in two ways; first contrasting being in paid employment and occupation, and second, contrasting not being in paid employment due to non-working, sickness/disability, unemployment, early retirement and caring for home/family; but capable of paid work. Observational analyses were conducted to investigate the effect of increased BMI on occupation and employment–related outcomes.

Results: BMI association with all the occupation and employment-related outcomes investigated shows evidence of higher BMI causing increased risk of sickness, decreased caring for home/family, underemployment, and lower household income. There were evidence for causal effects and impacts differing by sex and age.

Discussion: BMI exerts causal effect on occupation and employment status, by affecting an individual’s health leading to increased unemployment arising from social or work discrimination, and inability to engage in paid occupation. Obesity epidemic may contribute to worklessness and therefore impose an increasing societal burden. This is of policy interest and rationale for government action.

Keywords: Nigeria; Obesity; BMI

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Citation

Citation: AS Adekoya., et al. “Effects of BMI on Occupation and Employment Status: An Adult Nigerians Study”.Acta Scientific Medical Sciences 6.3 (2022): 96-102.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2022 AS Adekoya., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.