Half of American Workers Gain Weight at Current Job

In the fight against obesity, familiar opponents are fast food and soft drinks, but according to a new survey from CareerBuilder.com, the workplace can also pack on the pounds. The survey, which polled over 5,600 workers, almost half (49 percent) admitted to gaining weight while at their current job, with 28 percent reporting at least a 10-pound weight gain.

The survey also found that more women than men gained weight, with 54 percent of women gaining weight compared to 46 percent of the men.

Potlucks and office wide parties, particularly around the holidays. were the main culprits in increased weight cited by poll respondents. "Holiday and end-of-year business obligations, along with the temptations of office treats and cold weather keeping workers indoors, all combine to make it difficult to maintain healthy habits. Workers who plan ahead and apply moderation will be in a much better position to avoid fall and winter weight gain," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder.com.

In addition to easily available treats, restaurant meals also lead to weight gain/ Over half (58 percent) of workers go out to eat for lunch at least once a week, with 12 percent eating lunch at a restaurant five days a week. Vending machines can also sabotage weight control plans, with 13 percent of workers skipping lunch an eating from vending machines at least one a week.

Over two-thirds of workers admit to snacking during the day, but 20 percent admit to skipping fruits and vegetables during the work day. Over one-third of snackers admit to having at least two snacks a day, and twelve percent say they snack three or more times a day.

When releasing the survey results, CareerBuilder.com provided tips to combat work weight gain. Tips include: Keep your office stocked with healthy foods such as dried fruit, nuts and pretzels to stave off trips to the vending machines. Stay hydrated by keeping a bottle of water at your desk and sipping fromit throughout the day.. Many people mistake thirst for hunger. Pack your own lunch- lunches brought from home are significantly lower in fat and calories than typical fast food meals. Chew gum to keep you mouth busy.

The survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive between June 1 and June 13. Participants were employed full-time, not self-employed and had no input on hiring decisions. The margin of error was +/- 1.3 percentage points.

Source: CareerBuilder.com Press Release