Obesity and the Related Issues

[Date of Submission]

Introduction2

Background2

Structure5

Obesity6

Body Mass Index (BMI)7

Obesity and Health Problems7

Obesity and Workplace Injuries10

Obesity and Direct Cost in an Organisation10

Obesity and Indirect Costs to an Organisation12

Absenteeism13

Presenteeism15

Workplace Environment17

Bullying17

Discrimination19

The Changing in Organisation25

Conclusion26

Introduction

'Obesity is not just an individual problem. It is a population problem and should be tackled as such. Effective prevention and management of obesity will require an integrated approach, involving actions in all sectors of society.' WHO, 2004, p.4

Although living standards are continuously improving, being overweight or obese are significant issues that affect health (WHO, 2004). Research shows that being overweight or obese contributes to health problems such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes (Hamilton, Hamilton, & Zderic, 2007; Hertz, Unger, McDonald, Lustik, & Biddulph-Krentar, 2004; Yach, Stuckler, & Brownell, 2006). However, attention is increasingly being placed on the implications of obesity for society rather than for individuals.

Corporations have a significant interest in human capital and in Strategic Cost Leadership. Employers are advocating in terms of achieving their objectives through human resource processes, such as recruitment, training and development, which includes consideration of employees' health and well-being. Indeed, the recruitment of employees with issue like obesity and overweight can negatively affect the performance of the corporation. For example, the health problems associated with obesity tend to contribute to loss of productivity and healthcare costs. The aim of this research report is, therefore, to examine the effects of an unhealthy workforce.

Background

The rapid growth of the overweight and obese population has resulted in it surpassing malnutrition and infectious diseases as a significant cause of illness (WHO, 2004). According to World Health Statistics (World Health, 2013), obesity is highlighted as a risk factor in morbidity and mortality. The 2008 statistics indicate that 14% of women and about 10% of men aged 20 or over worldwide are obese (World Health, 2013). The obese and overweight population is highest in the Americas (women 29.7% and men 23.5%) followed by Europe (women 23.1% and men 20.4%) (World Health, 2013World Health, 2013). The report also found the highest rates in the upper-middle income group (women 28.9% and men 19.5%) and the high income group (women 21.6% and men 21.8%) (World Health, 2013). These statistics show that obese and overweight people are more common in developed countries.

There is a considerable prevalence of obesity in the USA, and rates have increased by about 10% over two decades from 1988 to 2008 according to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data (Ogden & Carroll, 2010). The prevalence of obesity and excessive weight in men was about 20% in 1988, but increased to 32% by 2008 (Ogden & Carroll, 2010). A similar trend was found in women where a rise from 25% in 1988 to almost 36% in 2008 was observed (Ogden & Carroll, 2010). These results supported the World Health Statistics 2013 report, which indicates that women are more likely to be obese and overweight than men (World Health, 2013).

The obesity rate in the USA has risen significantly since the mid-nineteenth ...