Experts are calling for a four-day workweek after a new study linked long working hours to rising obesity rates. They say shortening the workweek could not only help reduce stress but also improve public health.
The study suggests that countries where people work longer hours have higher rates of obesity, even though people who finish work hours earlier may have less healthy diets. According to the researchers, stress, fast food culture and long periods of sitting are among the factors that contribute to weight gain.
Australian researchers analyzed work patterns and obesity rates in 33 OECD countries, from 1990 to 2022. The findings were presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul.
According to the study, countries like the US, Mexico and Colombia, where working hours are typically longer, have higher obesity rates compared to Nordic countries, where the workweek is shorter. The UK ranked ninth for obesity but 24th for working hours, with an average of 1,505 hours of work per year per adult.
The authors, from the University of Queensland, concluded that a lack of time for physical activity and work-related stress could explain this trend. They estimate that reducing working hours by 20 percent, through a four-day week, could lead to around half a million fewer obese people in the UK.
Dr. Pradeepa Korale-Gedara said that long work hours can promote weight gain not only through fast food, but also due to increased cortisol, the stress hormone linked to weight gain.
According to her, when people have a more balanced life, they experience less stress, are more likely to choose healthier foods and engage in physical activity.
Supporters of the four-day workweek argue that the model can reduce absenteeism, improve sleep, increase physical activity, and even boost productivity. A study published in Nature Human Behaviour, which followed nearly 3 employees at 141 companies, found that after six months, employees reported better physical and mental health, fewer sleep problems, and lower levels of stress at work.
About 90 percent of the companies included in that study continued to apply some form of four-day week even after the end of the testing period.
Another German study, which used devices that measured stress, physical activity, and sleep, found that people who worked four days a week had significantly less stress than those who worked traditional full-time hours. They also exercised more and slept about 40 minutes more per week.
However, not everyone is convinced of the benefits of this model. Critics say that a four-day week with full pay may not be sustainable for all businesses, while a shorter week with lower earnings could burden low-income families.
Some experts also point out that the main problem is not always the number of working days, but overload. According to them, if tasks remain the same and are simply concentrated on fewer days, employees may continue to experience stress and fatigue.
Other critics have called the findings questionable, noting that the UK already has one of the lowest working hours in the study. They argue that for many people, a four-day week could mean lower incomes, while people on low incomes are more at risk of obesity.
The British government has said it will not impose a four-day workweek with five days' pay. However, it aims to make it easier to accept requests for flexible working through new employment rights laws.
The debate remains open, but the study adds to the arguments that the way work is organized can have a direct impact on people's physical and mental health. /GazetaExpress/
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