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The prevalence of chronic psychological complaints and emotional exhaustion among overweight and obese workers

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Abstract

Purpose

Literature suggests a relationship between overweight and obesity, and mental health problems, but data regarding prevalence rates are scarce. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of chronic psychological complaints and emotional exhaustion among overweight and obese workers.

Methods

Data were used from the Netherlands Working Conditions Survey (NWCS), which is representative for Dutch employees (n = 43,928). Based on self-reported body mass index (BMI), workers were classified into underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obesity. Respondents indicated whether they suffered from chronic psychological complaints. Emotional exhaustion was measured by using the UBOS subscale. Logistic regression analyses were used to test differences in prevalence across weight categories, with healthy weight as the reference group. Analyses were stratified for gender, age, education, and occupation.

Results

Of the obese workers, 15.7% reported emotional exhaustion and 3.7% reported chronic psychological complaints. These prevalence rates were significantly higher than among healthy weight workers. A significant J shape was found with healthy weight workers reporting the lowest prevalence of both indicators of mental health problems. This J shape was generally also seen among the gender, age, education, and occupation subgroups, though not consistently significant.

Conclusion

Considering the proportion of obese workers that also suffers from psychological co-morbidities, interventions targeting obesity should take this into account. As weight-related stigma may play a role in the risk for mental health problems among obese workers, future longitudinal research on the mechanisms for the relation between overweight and mental health problems are recommended.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Prevention and Health Services Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands

    Karin I. Proper & Wanda J. E. Bemelmans

  2. TNO, Division Work and Employment, Hoofddorp, The Netherlands

    Lando L. J. Koppes & Marianne H. J. van Zwieten

Authors
  1. Karin I. Proper
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  2. Lando L. J. Koppes
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  3. Marianne H. J. van Zwieten
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  4. Wanda J. E. Bemelmans
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Correspondence to Karin I. Proper.

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Proper, K.I., Koppes, L.L.J., van Zwieten, M.H.J. et al. The prevalence of chronic psychological complaints and emotional exhaustion among overweight and obese workers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 85, 537–545 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-011-0703-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-011-0703-y

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