June/July 2007 (vol. 04/1)

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Research Plus

Obesity increases injury claims

A retrospective cohort study of 11,728 US healthcare and university employees found a statistically significant relationship between obesity and workers’ compensation claims for injuries and illness at work. For example, over a three-year follow-up, employees with a BMI above 40 had 11.65 claims per 100 full-time equivalent workers (FTEs), while those with recommended BMI (18.5 to 25) had 5.80 claims per 100 FTEs. The paper also reports significant effects of obesity on lost workdays due to occupational injury and illness, medical claims costs and indemnity claims costs.

Archives of Internal Medicine 2007; 167(8): 766–73.

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Occupational Health at Work June/July 2007 (vol. 04/1) pp38