Obesity prevalence by occupation and other demographics

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<p><a href=“Preventing Chronic Disease | Obesity Prevalence by Occupation in Washington State, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System - CDC”>http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2014/13_0219.htm&lt;/a&gt; is a study report on obesity prevalence by occupation and other demographics.</p>

<p>For example, 38.6% of truck drivers are obese, while 11.6% of those in health diagnosing occupations are obese.</p>

<p>Over all occupations, the middle income ($35,000 to $74,999) is slightly more obese than the lower income, but the higher income is significantly less obese. Those with college degrees are less obese than other levels of educational attainment; those below high school attainment were less obese than high school graduates or those with some college. However, these trends are not necessarily the case within each occupational category.</p>

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<p>There were some surprises. That cleaners (who move all day long) had higher obesity rates than some sedentary professions, like lawyers and judges, for example. </p>

<p>I recently read from another study that sitting was as hazardous to your health as smoking. </p>

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<p>Probably because cleaners, traditionally, have lower educational obtainment, are more likely to eat fast food due to poor wages, and are less likely to exercise due to financial and time constraints. </p>

<p>That’s not surprising to me at all. </p>

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<p>Cleaning (depending on the type) is hard work. Scrubbing, making beds in a hotel…It must be the diet. </p>

<p>I was also surprised that food preparation people weren’t at the higher ranges. Being around all that temptation.</p>

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<p>Poor-quality food (processed carbs) does a lot to make people fat. These foods are also cheap and tasty, and require little time or expertise to prepare. They are cheap pleasures for people who have no access to more expensive ones. People who work professionally with food might have higher standards, more prep expertise, and no need to eat what is not “good.” Kitchen work also involves constant activity, standing and moving.</p>

<p>There is also social pressure among the upper middle class to be thin, or at least not obese. Peer pressure applies at all levels of society. The sociology of obesity is an interesting topic and provides insight into a major public health problem.</p>

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<p>Cortisol contributes to weight gain. I imagine that people who dont feel they have much control over their own lves & are under stress, will be less healthy over someone who can afford to belong to a gym and release some of that.
<a href=“http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=53304”>http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=53304&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Stress messes up your metabolism & your sleep patterns. </p>

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<p>Restaurant food is often high in both carbs and fats (= high calories, and opposed by all fat loss diet ideologies). However, those working there may not be too tempted after seeing the same food day in and day out.</p>

<p>Food preparation jobs may also involve preparing food that is not normally eaten at that stage, such as a butcher preparing raw meat for sale in a grocery store.</p>

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<p>What I got the most out of that study was- smoking reduces your appetite. :open_mouth: </p>

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<p>Just wanted to emphasize, emerald’s post about cortisol. We should look less on who is standing on their feet all day and more at the reoccurring factors that decrease their quality of health. Cleaning a house or cooking in a restaurant, in my opinion, is not the main problem. </p>