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Workers who are obese may have significantly shorter endurance times when performing workplace tasks, compared with their non-obese counterparts, says a study. Obesity is associated with physiological changes at the muscular level, including a decrease in blood flow, thereby limiting the supply of oxygen and energy sources.
When performing sustained contractions, these physiological changes may lead to a faster onset of muscle fatigue, the study said. 'Our findings indicated that on an average, approximately 40 percent shorter endurance times were found in the obese group, with the largest differences in the hand grip and simulated assembly tasks,' said Lora Cavuoto, an assistant professor at University of Buffalo in the US.
For the study, researchers examined the endurance of 32 individuals in four categories (non-obese young, obese young, non-obese older, and obese older) who completed three distinct tasks that involved a range of upper extremity demands - hand grip, intermittent shoulder elevation, and a simulated assembly operation. (Read: Obesity killing millions around the world every year!)
Each task involved periods of work and rest, and included pacing demands similar to those experienced by workers in manufacturing settings. 'Workers who are obese may need longer rest breaks to return to their initial state of muscle function,' Cavuoto added. 'Based on the increased fatigue found among workers who are obese, workplace designers may need to consider adding fixtures and supports to minimise the amount of time that body mass segments need to be supported,' Cavuoto said. (Read: Drug to fight obesity now on the horizon)
The study appeared in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene.
Reasons for obesity
The prime reason is eating unhealthy foods which add more calories and provide less or no nutrition at all to our bodies. A regular intake of such foods plays havoc with our system depositing excess fat which adds weight and pushes us towards being obese.
Another factor is the lack of physical activity. Due to changes in lifestyle, people are plonked in front of their TVs or laptops for hours on end without getting any exercise which leads to weight gain and other health problems. Over time, this combined with unhealthy eating leads to obesity. Read more about Fat to fit: Mega guide for losing weight the right way
With inputs from IANS
Photo source: Getty images
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