Study says weight affects risk of worksite injury

A workplace injury study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for Injury Research and Policy says that obesity can increase the risk of a worksite injury.

Published in May 2007, in the American Journal of Epidemiology, the study’s findings show that a body mass index (BMI) in the obese category significantly raises the possibilities for trauma injuries on the job.

Of the 7,690 workers included in the study, 29 percent were injured at least once between January 2, 2002, and December 31, 2004. Approximately 85 percent of the injured workers were classified as overweight or obese.

The findings of these studies may encourage more companies to implement obesity prevention programs and incentives for employees.