Obesity, disability, and the labor force

Abstract

Men of prime working age have increased their non-employment rates over the past 30 years, and disability rates have also increased. Many have noted that this increase has happened against a backdrop of generally improving health in the U.S. population. However, obesity has increased substantially over this period. The authors find that changes in the characteristics of male workers—including age, race, ethnicity, and obesity levels—can explain a large portion (around 40 percent) of the increase in non-employment.Obesity ; Unemployment