The Gallup Research Center presented the survey results on U.S. residents who did not have permanent income. As it turned out, the longer the respondents tried to find a job, the more it affected their health and weight.
Lack of job provokes obesity, U.S. experts say. According to statistics, the proportion of overweight people among those who lost their stable income recently (within a month) was only 22.8%, but the group of the “experienced” unemployed showed a 1.5 times higher result.
The second most common disease of unemployed Americans is hypertension. As in the case of obesity, those who could not find a job for more than 12 months suffered from high blood pressure more often.
Blood tests showed that the blood cholesterol level of the unemployed was almost two times higher than that of their employed peers. Thus, they are more prone to cardiovascular disease, the researchers note.
Experts say that personnel officers are reluctant to accept people with visible health problems.
Fearing the increasing expenditures on health insurance, overweight job seekers are denied even before the interview. It is a vicious circle, which is almost impossible to break.
For reference:
According to Gallup International, 27.7% of the adult population in the U.S. suffers from obesity.
