The 7 Careers Most Likely to Cause Weight Gain

A whopping 44 percent of workers confirm they’ve gained weight in their current job, a new survey shows.

The survey from CareerBuilder also found that 25 percent of workers reported they’ve put on more than 10 pounds. Only 17 percent of workers said they’ve lost weight.

The national survey of 3,000 U.S. workers from across the private sector was conducted by Harris Poll.

It also shows that workers in certain industries were more likely to report having gained weight at their current jobs:

1. Transportation: 49 percent
2. Health care: 48 percent
3. Financial services: 46 percent
4. Sales: 46 percent
5. Retail: 40 percent
6. Manufacturing: 39 percent
7. IT: 38 percent

Workers in management roles (49 percent) also were more likely to gain weight than those in nonmanagement roles (43 percent).

The top reasons that survey participants felt contributed to their weight gain were:

• Sitting at the desk most of the day.
• Being too tired from work to exercise.
• Eating because of stress.

Ron Goetzel, senior scientist and director of the Institute for Health and Productivity Studies at Johns Hopkins University, explains to CBS MoneyWatch that stress is often associated with increased eating, as well as binge eating.

CareerBuilder’s survey found that the workers who lost weight at their current job were:

• Less likely to eat out or eat takeout, to snack at work and to eat lunch at their desk.
• More likely to take advantage of the company gym or wellness benefits.
• More likely to exercise at least three times per week.

If you’re trying to lose weight, check out “15 Simple Ways to Burn Calories Without the Gym.”

Have you gained or lost weight in your current job? What do you think most contributed to it? Share your thoughts by commenting below or on our Facebook page.