Obesity, Employment, and Economic Productivity in Europe: A Systematic Literature Review

The economic burden that obesity places on society, both directly and indirectly, is considerable. It is acknowledged that obesity is associated with decreased economic productivity; however, the evidence examining the exact relationship between obesity and key metrics of employment in the European context remains to be consolidated.

A systematic literature review was performed to determine the association between body mass index (BMI) and employment outcomes. Searches were conducted across three electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, and Epistemonikos). Studies were eligible if they were published in or after 2014 and conducted in a European setting.

In total, 34 studies were identified; of these, 20 studies provided evidence to show fewer people with obesity were employed as compared to people with overweight or who had a healthy BMI. Obesity was associated with increased sickness absence (n = 7) and impaired work performance (n = 7).

Broad evidence collected from across Europe demonstrates that obesity is associated with unemployment, sickness leave, absenteeism, and presenteeism. Preventing and treating obesity would be expected to have a relatively rapid benefit in terms of improved employment outcomes, including productivity, as well as long-term benefits to population health.