Study links long working hours to obesity, experts renew call for 4-day work week
A study presented at the European Congress on Obesity suggests a correlation between longer working hours and higher obesity rates, prompting experts to reiterate calls for a 4-day work week. Reduced work hours are linked to decreased obesity, with factors like stress and lack of physical activity contributing to the issue.
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- 📰 Published: May 11, 2026 at 16:15
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, London, 10th, comprehensive foreign report) Research shows that people who work longer hours are more prone to obesity, and reducing working time may help maintain weight. Advocates point out that the 9-to-5, 5-day work week system has a hundred-year history and should be adjusted.
According to The Guardian in the UK, an international study presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey, indicates that countries with longer total annual working hours, such as the United States, Mexico, and Colombia, have relatively higher obesity rates, even though Nordic countries on average consume more calories and fat than Latin American countries.
This study compared working hour patterns and obesity rates in 33 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries between 1990 and 2022.
The study suggests that every 1% reduction in total annual working hours is associated with a 0.16% decrease in obesity rates. The study authors believe that lack of time for exercise and work-related stress may explain why people working longer hours are more likely to gain weight.
Pradeepa Korale-Gedara, a scholar from The University of Queensland in Australia, stated that stress increases cortisol levels, causing the body to store more fat, and long working hours may also reduce opportunities to expend calories.
She said: "When people achieve work-life balance, their quality of life also improves. They have less stress, can pay more attention to eating a balanced diet, and have more time for physical activities."
Although the researchers emphasize that this study does not prove causality, and income differences between countries might also be a influencing factor, the relevant findings have prompted experts to renew calls for promoting a "4-day work week" system in the UK. Currently, about 200 companies have adopted this working model.
Statistics from the UK Office for National Statistics show that more than 200,000 workers have switched to a 4-day work week since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Advocates said: "A 4-day work week with full pay would give millions of people more time to change their lifestyles and make healthier choices, which could significantly reduce obesity rates in the UK."
Rita Fontinha, a psychologist at the University of Reading in the UK, pointed out that obesity is closely related to "time poverty."
She said: "If a person works two jobs or long hours, they simply don't have the energy to cook, making them more likely to buy packaged or processed foods."
She believes that a 4-day work week or other ways to reduce working hours could help people make healthier choices in terms of diet, exercise, and sleep. (Compiler: Liu Wen-yu) 1150511
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(Central News Agency, London, 10th, comprehensive foreign report) Research shows that people who work longer hours are more prone to obesity, and reducing working time may help maintain weight. Advocates point out that the 9-to-5, 5-day work week system has a hundred-year history and should be adjusted.
According to The Guardian in the UK, an international study presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, Turkey, indicates that countries with longer total annual working hours, such as the United States, Mexico, and Colombia, have relatively higher obesity rates, even though Nordic countries on average consume more calories and fat than Latin American countries.
This study compared working hour patterns and obesity rates in 33 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries between 1990 and 2022.
The study suggests that every 1% reduction in total annual working hours is associated with a 0.16% decrease in obesity rates. The study authors believe that lack of time for exercise and work-related stress may explain why people working longer hours are more likely to gain weight.
Pradeepa Korale-Gedara, a scholar from The University of Queensland in Australia, stated that stress increases cortisol levels, causing the body to store more fat, and long working hours may also reduce opportunities to expend calories.
She said: "When people achieve work-life balance, their quality of life also improves. They have less stress, can pay more attention to eating a balanced diet, and have more time for physical activities."
Although the researchers emphasize that this study does not prove causality, and income differences between countries might also be a influencing factor, the relevant findings have prompted experts to renew calls for promoting a "4-day work week" system in the UK. Currently, about 200 companies have adopted this working model.
Statistics from the UK Office for National Statistics show that more than 200,000 workers have switched to a 4-day work week since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Advocates said: "A 4-day work week with full pay would give millions of people more time to change their lifestyles and make healthier choices, which could significantly reduce obesity rates in the UK."
Rita Fontinha, a psychologist at the University of Reading in the UK, pointed out that obesity is closely related to "time poverty."
She said: "If a person works two jobs or long hours, they simply don't have the energy to cook, making them more likely to buy packaged or processed foods."
She believes that a 4-day work week or other ways to reduce working hours could help people make healthier choices in terms of diet, exercise, and sleep. (Compiler: Liu Wen-yu) 1150511
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is the strength to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to grasp the latest news instantly.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.