ALMOST 450,000 Brits may be too fat to work, according to new research.
Obese people are four per cent less likely to be employed — even after other possible reasons for joblessness have been accounted for.
New figures show 450,000 Brits may be too fat to work, according to new research Credit: Getty
A Government-backed trial under way in Manchester plans to find out if weight loss jabs can boost employment rates
It means weight alone might be keeping four out of every 100 obese people on the dole.
Data was used from 284,000 people in the UK to compare unemployment in different weight categories.
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It was found obesity cut the chances of having a job by an average of 4.2 per cent — more than twice as much as previous estimates.
Study author Dr Aharon Katz, from the University of York, said they may be physically unable to work or be more overlooked by employers.
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He said: “Tackling obesity isn’t just a health [issue], it’s an opportunity to boost economic productivity.”
Results presented at the International Congress on Obesity in Mexico showed the effect seem stronger for men than women.
NHS stats show 29 per cent of the working population of England and Wales is obese — some 10.9million.
If four per cent are out of a job due to weight, it would be about 435,000. It adds to past research showing fat people typically take more sick days and earn less, knocking billions off the UK economy.
A Government-backed trial under way in Manchester plans to find out if weight loss jabs can boost employment rates.
The Obesity Health Alliance said of the findings: “We must tackle the unhealthy food environment responsible for driving record levels of diet-related ill health, while ensuring employers treat people fairly and without discrimination.”
