Obesity is associated with a decrease in blood flow, which reduces the amount of oxygen and energy sources
People who suffer from obesity are less productive at work and more prone to injury, research shows.
Obese people may need longer breaks to recover from the work process, scientists believe.
The research focuses on how people of different weights perform given tasks in the workplace.
The study, conducted at the University of Buffalo, USA, followed the endurance of 32 people divided into 4 categories: non-obese youth, obese youth, non-obese adults and obese adults.
Each participant completed 3 tasks in which different abilities were used: hand grasping, shoulder lifting, assembly. Each task contains work and rest periods.
Task activity level is similar to production rates. During the tasks, obese women performed significantly worse.
“Our findings show that the obese group reported an average of 40% shorter endurance.
There are big differences in hand grip and assembly,” said Dr. Laura Cavuoto, one of the study’s experts.
Obesity is associated with a decrease in blood flow, which reduces the amount of oxygen and energy sources. When performing the set tasks, the muscle fibers tire faster.
“Employees who are obese probably need longer breaks to recover to their original state of muscle function. This makes them less productive,” says Dr. Cavuoto.
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