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The relationship between job stress and body mass index using longitudinal data from Canada

International Journal of Public Health volume 57, pages 807–815 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective

This paper examines the effect of job stress, as measured by the job strain model (high job demands and low job control) on an individual’s body mass index (BMI) using data from the Canadian National Population Health Survey.

Methods

We use panel data estimation methods to account for unobserved individual-level heterogeneity to better examine the relationship between job-related stress and BMI.

Results

Results from the fixed effects and random effects models show no statistically significant difference in BMI levels between individuals in jobs with high/medium strain compared to jobs with low strain. However, in the cross-sectional OLS model, job stress has a positive and significant effect on BMI. These analyses control for socio-demographic factors, lifestyle behavior, workplace social support, occupational and provincial fixed effects. The results suggest that the mixed findings in the previous studies may in part be due to unobserved characteristics that cannot be controlled for using standard cross-sectional analysis.

Conclusion

This study results suggest the need for further longitudinal evidence in order to have a better understanding of the relationship between job stress and body weight.

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Acknowledgments

This paper uses Statistics Canada confidential data, and the opinions expressed do not represent the views of Statistics Canada. For helpful comments and suggestions we wish to thank, Gordon Fisher, Nikolay Gospodinov, Greg LeBlanc and Ian Irvine.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Sunday Azagba & Mesbah F. Sharaf

Authors
  1. Sunday Azagba
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  2. Mesbah F. Sharaf
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Correspondence to Sunday Azagba.

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Azagba, S., Sharaf, M.F. The relationship between job stress and body mass index using longitudinal data from Canada. Int J Public Health 57, 807–815 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-012-0348-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-012-0348-y

Keywords

  • Job stress
  • Body mass index
  • Unobserved heterogeneity
  • Panel data