June 1, 2026, 3:05 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
According to a recent study, people who work more hours daily than average are more prone to obesity. Could reducing work hours help with weight loss?
In countries like the U.S. and Mexico, both working hours and obesity rates are comparatively high. The study, presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO), found that one influences the other. The analysis shows that in OECD countries with lower obesity rates, meaning fewer people with severe overweight, less time is spent working. How can this be explained?
What Does Work Have to Do With Obesity?
The study, led by Dr. Pradeepa Korale-Gedara from the University of Queensland in Australia, focused on an aspect that receives relatively little attention: working hours. Until now, research has primarily focused on individual factors such as diet, exercise, or lifestyle. However, lack of time has already been identified as a possible reason for unhealthy eating and insufficient exercise. Does working too much, and thus having less time for cooking, sports, and the like, make you gain weight? To answer this question, Dr. Korale-Gedara’s team analyzed data from 33 OECD countries between 1990 and 2022. In addition to working hours, factors such as income, urban or rural living, and local dietary data were considered.
It’s Not Just Calories That Promote Obesity, But…
Even though the U.S. and South America are said to have a much higher fat and sugar intake than many other countries, the detailed analysis sometimes reached a contrary conclusion. For instance, the average calorie and fat intake in several Latin American OECD countries is sometimes lower than in European countries such as Norway, France, or Austria. Nevertheless, obesity rates are significantly higher there. The assumption that not only calorie intake but also working hours promote obesity was supported by a remarkable calculation: A one percent reduction in annual working hours was associated with a 0.16 percent decrease in obesity rates. For men, the “slim effect” of leaving work earlier was almost twice as high as for women.
Why Long Working Hours Make You Gain Weight
The researchers suspect numerous connections: “Those who work long hours often have less time for exercise, sports, and preparing fresh meals. At the same time, the likelihood of resorting to highly processed, energy-dense convenience foods increases.” Additionally, long workdays raise stress levels, which is reflected in a persistently elevated cortisol level. “This leads to more fat storage, especially in physically less demanding jobs.”
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How Much Germans Actually Work
Obesity rates within the OECD vary significantly. In 2022, the U.S. recorded the highest adult obesity rate at nearly 42 percent. At the other end of the scale is Japan, with about 5.5 percent. In Germany, about 23 percent of people are considered severely overweight. Germany is now among the countries with the shortest weekly working hours. Employees here work an average of about 34 hours per week. In France and Spain, it’s about 37 hours, and in the United Kingdom, around 36 hours. Turkey is significantly higher at about 43 hours per week. Due to fewer vacation days, the actual annual working time in the U.S. is about 1,811 hours, significantly higher than in Germany at about 1,341 hours.
Conclusion: Work-Life Balance Is Not a Lifestyle Choice
The complex relationship between working hours and obesity is evident in “slim” Japan, where despite 350 to 400 additional hours of work annually, obesity is hardly prevalent. The researchers conclude that infrastructure, culture, mobility options, and the local dietary environment vary significantly from country to country and influence the results. Nevertheless, every hour more spent on exercise, friends, family, and preparing and enjoying fresh meals contributes to a healthy weight and simultaneously strengthens mental health.