Psychosocial work environment factors and weight change: a prospective study among Danish health care workers

BMC Public Health

Jakob B Bjorner⁴  Vilhelm Borg¹  Birgit Aust¹  Karl Bang Christensen³  Ulla Christensen²  Helle Gram Quist¹ 

[1] National Research Centre for the Working Environment (NRCWE), Lersoe Parkalle 105, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark;Department of Public Health, Section of Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Oester Farigmagsgade 5, 1014, Copenhagen, Denmark;Department of Public Health, Section of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Oester Farigmagsgade 5, 1014, Copenhagen, Denmark;QualityMetric/OptumInsight, 24 Albion Road, Lincoln, RI, 02865, USA

关键词: Psychosocial work factors;    Work stress;    Weight loss;    Weight gain;    Body mass index;   

Others  :  1162636
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-13-43

 received in 2012-04-12, accepted in 2013-01-15,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

Lifestyle variables may serve as important intermediate factors between psychosocial work environment and health outcomes. Previous studies, focussing on work stress models have shown mixed and weak results in relation to weight change. This study aims to investigate psychosocial factors outside the classical work stress models as potential predictors of change in body mass index (BMI) in a population of health care workers.

Methods

A cohort study, with three years follow-up, was conducted among Danish health care workers (3982 women and 152 men). Logistic regression analyses examined change in BMI (more than +/− 2 kg/m²) as predicted by baseline psychosocial work factors (work pace, workload, quality of leadership, influence at work, meaning of work, predictability, commitment, role clarity, and role conflicts) and five covariates (age, cohabitation, physical work demands, type of work position and seniority).

Results

Among women, high role conflicts predicted weight gain, while high role clarity predicted both weight gain and weight loss. Living alone also predicted weight gain among women, while older age decreased the odds of weight gain. High leadership quality predicted weight loss among men. Associations were generally weak, with the exception of quality of leadership, age, and cohabitation.

Conclusion

This study of a single occupational group suggested a few new risk factors for weight change outside the traditional work stress models.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Gram Quist et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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