Can an increase in your waistline mean a decrease in your bottom line
If you are a woman, the answer is yes. Unlike men, of whom research has indicated experience no negative financial effects of an expanding waistline, women with an increase body mass index (BMI) do. Recent research indicates that after controlling for other variables, body weight was a significant predictor of economic success and job prestige for women.
Background:
A healthy BMI is considered to be between 20 and 25. If your BMI is between 26 and 29 you are considered overweight and if your BMI is over 30, obese. The information discussed in the 2005 National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper1 indicates that women who are overweight or obese earn less money, earn less occupational prestige and their spouses earn less money and prestige as well. These figures were obtained after correcting for demographic, educational levels, union status, and work experience.
Simple Facts:
The Working Paper indicated that for every 1% increase in a woman’s BMI, her family income decreased by 0.6 % when compared to a comparable control of normal BMI. Her occupational prestige, which a social ranking of occupations by importance, or prestige2 decreased by 0.4% for every 1% increase in BMI, and her spouse’s income and prestige decreased by 0.85% and 0.284% respectively per 1% increase of BMI.
Simply put; the average difference between the earning power of obese women versus their thinner counterparts is 12%, and the effect is seen in greater numbers in those age 35 or younger.
Causes:
There is no one predominate correlation that suggests a definitive cause. The origins for this occurrence range widely. The research indicated that there may be employer discrimination at work. Other potential reasons could be the statically poorer health of overweight and obese persons and the resultant loss of productivity and absenteeism correlating to a decrease in pay, prestige and promotion opportunity. The could be a circular correlation of lower-income equating to poorer diet that leads to an increase in body weight, and lastly, there may be a factor that affects income and bodyweight that was not accounted for.
SideBar:
Oddly enough, these effects were only seen in white women. There were no documented differences in overweight or obese Hispanic women, and overweight and obese African-American women earned 8% MORE than their white counterparts.1
Conclusion:
There does not seem to be a concrete reason for the stigma and stratification revealed here. It is apparent that for women, particularly white women under the age of 35, there are more reasons than ever to maintain or decrease body weight. A healthy body weight decreases or eliminates the onset of diseases such as diabetes, osteoarthritis, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) and cardiac problems, and now can maintain or increase your bottom line as well.
References:
1Conley, D., & Glauber, R. (2005, May). Gender, body mass and economic status. National Bureau of Economic Research, Retrieved 06/28/2006, from Proquest database.
2NAKAO, K. Occupational Prestige." BookRags. Retrieved 2 July 2006, from the World Wide Web. http://www.bookrags.com/other/sociology/occupational-prestige-eos-03.html
©By: Ruth Molenaar 07/01/2006
WC: 458
Background:
A healthy BMI is considered to be between 20 and 25. If your BMI is between 26 and 29 you are considered overweight and if your BMI is over 30, obese. The information discussed in the 2005 National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper1 indicates that women who are overweight or obese earn less money, earn less occupational prestige and their spouses earn less money and prestige as well. These figures were obtained after correcting for demographic, educational levels, union status, and work experience.
Simple Facts:
The Working Paper indicated that for every 1% increase in a woman’s BMI, her family income decreased by 0.6 % when compared to a comparable control of normal BMI. Her occupational prestige, which a social ranking of occupations by importance, or prestige2 decreased by 0.4% for every 1% increase in BMI, and her spouse’s income and prestige decreased by 0.85% and 0.284% respectively per 1% increase of BMI.
Simply put; the average difference between the earning power of obese women versus their thinner counterparts is 12%, and the effect is seen in greater numbers in those age 35 or younger.
Causes:
There is no one predominate correlation that suggests a definitive cause. The origins for this occurrence range widely. The research indicated that there may be employer discrimination at work. Other potential reasons could be the statically poorer health of overweight and obese persons and the resultant loss of productivity and absenteeism correlating to a decrease in pay, prestige and promotion opportunity. The could be a circular correlation of lower-income equating to poorer diet that leads to an increase in body weight, and lastly, there may be a factor that affects income and bodyweight that was not accounted for.
SideBar:
Oddly enough, these effects were only seen in white women. There were no documented differences in overweight or obese Hispanic women, and overweight and obese African-American women earned 8% MORE than their white counterparts.1
Conclusion:
There does not seem to be a concrete reason for the stigma and stratification revealed here. It is apparent that for women, particularly white women under the age of 35, there are more reasons than ever to maintain or decrease body weight. A healthy body weight decreases or eliminates the onset of diseases such as diabetes, osteoarthritis, gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) and cardiac problems, and now can maintain or increase your bottom line as well.
References:
1Conley, D., & Glauber, R. (2005, May). Gender, body mass and economic status. National Bureau of Economic Research, Retrieved 06/28/2006, from Proquest database.
2NAKAO, K. Occupational Prestige." BookRags. Retrieved 2 July 2006, from the World Wide Web. http://www.bookrags.com/other/sociology/occupational-prestige-eos-03.html
©By: Ruth Molenaar 07/01/2006
WC: 458
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