Feel like you’re gaining weight sitting behind your desk?
You’re not alone.
A new CareerBuilder survey shows a stressful work life may actually cause extra pounds to add up.
The survey of 3,000 American workers found 55 percent feel they’re overweight and 44 percent say they’ve gained weight at their present jobs. In fact, 25 percent say they’ve packed on 10 pounds or more.
Survey results reveal a strong association between on-the-job stress levels and workers who say they are overweight. Fewer than half of workers — 41 percent — with extremely low stress levels feel they are overweight, compared to 77 percent of workers with extremely high stress levels.
Among those who’ve gained weight, 53 percent blame sitting most of the day. Forty-five percent say work makes them too tired to work out, and 36 percent attribute their weight gain to stress-related eating.
A quarter of employees have access to employer sponsored wellness benefits such as onsite workout facilities and gym passes. However, only 45 percent of those employees take advantage of them.
