New Delhi, May 13 -- Doctors are worried about the strong connection between working hours and obesity. New research presented at the European Congress on Obesity shows that the way we work affects our health. Specifically, when annual working hours decrease by 1%, obesity rates in OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries drop by 0.16%. This means that the amount of work we do is an important factor for public health. It is now as important as diet and exercise when discussing weight management.

A study of 122,000 participants found that working more than 55 hours per week increases the risk of obesity by 17%. This shows a clear link between heavy work demands and gaining weight. Men and older workers are p...