Washington University Research Finds Link Between Sedentary Work and Obesity for Women

A new study led by Lin Yang, a postdoctoral research associate at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. finds that women who sit on the job are more likely to be obese than other women workers. The study found that compared with women who spent 30 or minutes or less of daily sedentary time at work, women who spent 31 to 180 minutes were 1.53 times as likely to be obese. Women who spent 181 to 360 minutes sitting at work were 1.90 times as likely to be obese, and women who spent more than 360 minutes were 1.70 times as likely as likely to be obese. The authors found no association between occupational sitting and weight status among men.

The research found that the relationship between sitting on the job and obesity was particularly significant for African American women. Black women who spent 31 to 180 minutes sitting at work were 2.43 times as likely to be obese than women who sat for 30 minutes or less on the job. Black women who spent 181 to 360 minutes sitting at work were 2.76 times as likely or be obese, and Black women who spent more than 360 minutes were 2.53 times as likely to be obese.

“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine differences in the association between occupational sitting and weight status among African American women and White women,” Dr. Yang said.

The authors conclude that “reducing the amount of sitting time and interrupting sitting time by active breaks is recommended, even for adults who meet recommended levels of physical activity. In addition, adults with sedentary occupations should aim to maintain a healthy diet to avoid weight gain.”

Dr. Yang is a graduate of Beijing Sport University in China. She earned a master’s degree at the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. at the University of Cambridge in England.

The study, “Occupational Sitting and Weight Status in a Diverse Sample of Employees in Midwest Metropolitan Cities, 2012–2013,” was published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease. It may be accessed here.