Overweight and obese people are significantly more likely than peers who are a healthy weight to take time off work because they are ill, a European study has found.
Someone who is overweight has a 12% higher chance of needing to take sick leave, and those who are obese – with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more – are much more likely to be absent on health grounds.
The study said people with a BMI of 30-35 were 36% more likely to be off, increasing to 61% for a BMI of 35-40, while someone who was extremely obese – defined as having a BMI of more than 40 – was 147% more likely.
The findings have sparked concern in the UK, where about two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese, although it was not included in the new study.
Research by Frontier Economics has put the annual cost to the UK of people living with excess weight at £98bn, as measured by healthcare costs and lost productivity.
Kat Jenner, the director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said: “This research lays it bare – high rates of obesity-related disease is driving down economic productivity, with devastating economic impacts. Prioritising the nation’s food-related ill-health is vital for any government serious about improving wellbeing, increasing growth and ensuring the sustainability of the NHS.”
The findings are based on a study of 122,598 people from 26 European countries, who were representative of the 147 million people who were in employment. The study included Spain, Italy and Denmark but not the UK or France as they did not provide data to the most recent European Health Interview Survey.
The findings were produced by Siegfried Eisenberg, Dr Thomas Czypionka and colleagues at the health economics and health policy research group at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Vienna.
They found that overweight and obese people were also more likely than counterparts of healthy weight to take at least seven days off sick a year.
“People with overweight and obesity have higher probability of being absent from work due to health issues and it is more likely that the number of days absent is higher compared to people reporting [a] BMI of 18.5 to 25 across all European countries,” the report said. “Overall, overweight and obesity have a significant impact in the working population and thus on productivity losses and increased economic burden.”
The researchers will present their conclusions on Monday at the European Congress on Obesity in Venice.
Globally the costs of overweight and obesity are expected to soar from $1.96tn in 2020 to $4.32tn by 2035, according to the World Obesity Atlas published last year.
Richard Sloggett, the programme director at the Future Health consultancy, and a former special adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care, said tackling obesity would need to be a key priority for the next UK government after years of inaction by recent administrations.
“The dash for growth that the next government needs to deliver will not work unless it is underpinned by a clear and system-wide obesity strategy. Implementing obesity policies that are isolated, much delayed and watered down will not cut it,” he said. “When setting priorities for the health mission across No 10, Treasury and the Department of Health, reducing obesity rates needs to be right at the top of the list.”
Meanwhile, the TUC will say on Monday that more than 500,000 women have been left economically inactive over the last five years, especially because of delays in accessing NHS care.
In all, 1.54 million women across the UK are unable to work because they are too sick to do so, TUC analysis found. The number of women not in work because of problems with their arms, hands, legs, feet, back or neck rose by 126,000 between 2018 and the end of 2023, while for cancer the number rose by 15,000, and for anxiety, depression and mental ill-health it rose by 69,000.
A government spokesperson said: “Our £2.5bn back to work plan will help over a million people, including women with long-term health conditions break down barriers to work. We are also reforming the benefits system so that it’s fairer on the taxpayer and makes sure those who can work, do work. This includes enhancing support for people with health conditions and disabilities through programmes like WorkWell and reforming the fit note process so people can return to and stay in employment.”
