Some people who are overweight and have cardiovascular problems blame their sugar cravings for this, some blame a sedentary lifestyle, but it turns out that there is something else that negatively affects the heart and waist size.
Scientists from the American Heart Association (AKA) have found that people in certain occupations are at greater risk of developing obesity and heart and vascular problems.
In order to understand this, scientists examined 5.5 thousand people over 45 years old. They had their blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels measured, questioned about diet, smoking habit, and tested for obesity.
Here are the top 5 jobs that can be a problem for your heart (and your waist).
5. Managers, lawyers, doctors, accountants and businessmen
The healthiest professionals in this study. They go to the gym quite regularly and 75% of those surveyed are considered to be at least moderately active. One third of the subjects had ideal body weight. And rarely will you find a manager who smokes with a client outside the office. It is not surprising that only 6% of the respondents are smokers. But many representatives of these professions are not averse to trying fast food.
4. Culinary specialists
It's funny, but true: people who work with food often have bad eating habits themselves. This is evidenced by data from the AKA study. About 75% of chefs are overweight
3. Movers
The most smoking people in the ranking of professions hazardous to the heart. Almost a quarter of those interviewed by AKA specialists "smoke like steam locomotives", which contributes neither to lung health, nor to a good state of the cardiovascular system.
2. Police officers and firefighters
People who are in charge of our safety often fail to protect their hearts from disease. Police have to meet strict standards, including physical standards, but 90% of the police officers in the study were obese or overweight, 77% had high cholesterol and 35% had high blood pressure ...
Like the police officers, the valiant firefighters involved in the study did not have a fragile physique.
1. Sellers and entrepreneurs
The vast majority of sellers in this study seem to sell their health better than products. Of the total number of subjects studied, 68% had bad eating habits and 69% had high cholesterol levels. So, most likely, they will receive an instructive lecture from a cardiologist.
As for entrepreneurs, they neglect the gym, and only 20.8% of the subjects regularly engage in physical activity. After all, work will not wait!
Earlier research has shown that a number of occupations that are on the “unhealthy list” require people to do shift work, have little sleep, and contribute to high levels of stress. Lack of sleep and frequent anxiety can lead to malnutrition, drinking and smoking more.
The study authors didn't just report the negative effects of different professions. At the same time, they suggested simple steps to prevent both obesity and heart disease.
- Make yourself a healthy lunch and take it to work instead of running to the nearest café during lunchtime.
- If possible, take stairs to the elevator.
- Set aside half of your lunch for an hour and go for a walk.