Many people believe that being healthy and financially stable are two of the most important things necessary in order to have a happy, enjoyable life. Unfortunately, those who are suffering from poor health are also at a greater likelihood to be unemployed.
A new study has found that there is a very high correlation between obesity and rate and how long people spend looking for jobs, as shown in the graph below:
Unfortunately, not only were those who were unemployed more likely to be obese, but they also had higher blood pressures and less favorable markers of cardiovascular health. Clearly, there is a strong correlation between lacking a job and unhealthy physical characteristics.
Conclusions
There are three possible explanations for the findings of this study. The first is that being obese makes it more difficult to land a job because people are more likely to hire physically fit candidates. In my opinion, there is a high probability that this accounts for at least part of the findings. Many studies have found that when two job candidates are equally qualified, the more physically attractive candidate is almost guaranteed to be the one offered the job. This is because physically attractive people are subconsciously perceived as more honest, reliable, and competent (this phenomenon is known as the “beauty effect”).
A second possible explanation is that becoming unemployed increases your chances of obesity. If being unable to secure a job lowers one’s self-esteem, this may decrease their likelihood to exercise. Alternatively, people who are lacking in money may be more likely to purchase high-calorie junk food rather than healthy alternatives.
Finally, a third explanation is that there is another confounding factor leading to these results. For example, lazy people may be less likely to diet and exercise, and thus more likely to become obese. Additionally, these same people may be less likely to invest into developing skills needed to succeed at their career, making it more difficult for them to land a job. As a result, it may be that a lurking variable such as laziness or work ethic is responsible for these findings.
Until more research is done, it will be impossible to discern which of these three explanations is the primary cause of the correlation between obesity and unemployment.
References
1 Crabtree S. Obesity linked to long-term unemployment in u.s. Gallup. 2014 Jun; Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/poll/171683/obesity-linked-long-term-unemployment.aspx