Effects of increased body mass index on employment status: a Mendelian randomisation study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The obesity epidemic may have substantial implications for the global workforce, including causal effects on employment, but clear evidence is lacking. Obesity may prevent people from being in paid work through poor health or through social discrimination. We studied genetic variants robustly associated with body mass index (BMI) to investigate its causal effects on employment.

Dataset/methods

White UK ethnicity participants of working age (men 40-64 years, women 40-59 years), with suitable genetic data were selected in the UK Biobank study (N = 230,791). Employment status was categorised in two ways: first, contrasting being in paid employment with any other status; and second, contrasting being in paid employment with sickness/disability, unemployment, early ret

SUBMITTER: Campbell DD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8310793 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature