Obesity is the health problem where the body accumulates excess body fats which contribute to negative health conditions and various diseases such as heart diseases, stroke, osteoarthritis, diabetes, sleeping disorders and various type of cancer. Additionally, obesity is a major contributor in the reduction of life expectancy and the general body vulnerability to illnesses. However, Obesity is caused by excessive intake of energy foods with more energy content, lack of exercise, endocrine disorders, psychiatric illness and genetic inheritance. Nevertheless, it can be treated by right diet, taking regular physical exercise, surgery and anti-obesity drugs. Studies show that the disease is common in children and working age populations (Puhl et al., 2009).
Obesity and general body overweight have been a major concern on the health sector and in the public domain-generally. Despite the tremendous effort made by different quotas to address the issue and its effects on the general health of the person, the disease still exists. Additionally the disease is suspected to make people who have been affected by it vulnerable to physical injuries though there is no credible evidence to support this claim (Kouvonen et al., 2013). Thus, this prompts the research which intended to establish the connection between obesity and overweight to the occupational injuries in the working age population. Occupation injury is an injury sustain by a person by accident which sudden, unexpected and is external. (Dembe et al., 2001)
The survey was conducted between 2000 and 2008 on 69,515 employees (both male and females) of the public sector to establish the relationship of body weight to occupational injuries. The responded of the survey participated in the research voluntary. Additionally, from time to time they voluntary submit reports which showed their weight, height, their location and health records which showed if they had suffered any injuries. Subsequently, the data was analyzed base on into socio-demographic characteristics, health risk behavior, mental/physical health, sleep duration, insomnia symptoms and work characteristics (Kouvonen et al., 2013).
The survey was conducted using questionnaires, where the respondent volunteered their information by filling the questionnaires. The respondents of the questionnaire who were chosen randomly came from Finnish public sector and represented six districts. Fortunately, keeping track of the correspondents was easy since workers who suffer occupation injuries are compensated by statutory insurance and their data is kept by federal agency on accident insurance. Additionally, in Finland, it's mandatory that all the employers provide occupation injury to all employees and keep the data of injuries hence gathering data for the research was easy. Hence, after collection and coding of data, chi-square test and SAS statistical data analysis software were used in analyzing the data (Polit et al., 2004).
The result found out that 32% of the respondents were overweight and 12% obese. Moreover, a larger portion of the employees who were overweight or obese was over 40 years of age. In addition, the research found out that those people who were obese suffered at least one injury per year or more. On the contrast, the people were classified as overweight or health reported few cases of injuries while some suffer no injury throughout the year. The injuries that were common were strains sprains and dislocations (41%) upper extremities (36%), slipping, tripping, falling and stumbling (25%). The injuries associated with overweight were mostly back pain and injuries. The research found that the obesity hindered physical functioning hence increase the risk of occupational injuries. Thus, the research concluded that the obesity contributes, and it’s a major cause of occupational injuries (Kouvonen et al., 2013).
Reference
Dembe, A. E. (2001). The social consequences of occupational injuries and illnesses. American journal of industrial medicine, 40(4), 403-417.
Kouvonen, A., Kivimäki, M., Oksanen, T., Pentti, J., De Vogli, R., Virtanen, M., & Vahtera, J. (2013). Obesity and occupational injury: a prospective cohort study of 69,515 public sector employees. PloS one, 8(10), e77178.
Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2004). Nursing research: Principles and methods. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Puhl, R. M., & Heuer, C. A. (2009). The stigma of obesity: a review and update.Obesity, 17(5), 941-964.
