While the list of factors that contribute to obesity tends to focus on the obvious candidates, which include an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise, experts are beginning to understand how the workplace environment can be a significant contributor to obesity, especially when it has high levels of stress and long periods of inactivity.

Researchers studied over 2700 workers employed at a large manufacturing plant, though the authors indicate that the findings were applicable to any work environment where stress levels were high. Factors that contributed to stress included concerns over job security and absence of control over one’s circumstance.

The findings, published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, add to an increasing body of evidence that links workplace stress to not only excessive weight gain and obesity, but to several other chronic conditions, including heart disease, metabolic syndrome, anxiety, sleep loss, and depression.

In the study in question, researchers found that up to 75% of the employees were overweight or obese. The workers were mostly white, middle-aged, married people who held college degrees and earned a fairly comfortable living ($60,000 or more per year). The average time spent working for the company was 22 years.

One important consideration that was uncovered in the study was that more than 65% of the employees reported watching two or more hours of TV every day. Among this subset of people, more than 77% were more likely to be overweight or obese, and those that watched four or more hours per day increased their risk of being obese by 150% compared to people who watched less than two hours every day.

TV seemed to be an integral component of many of the workers' day. A typical scenario involved a difficult and stressful day at work followed by time at home spent relaxing in front of the TV. In fact, workers admitted to looking forward to this time “vegging out” at home. Furthermore, during times of higher stress, when layoffs were reaching their peak, anecdotal evidence indicated that high-fat and high-calorie snacks rose in popularity from the company vending machines. While this was not scientifically proven, it is nonetheless telling of the way some people may cope with stress and anxiety, not to mention the sacrifices they feel obligated to make (a healthy meal) in order to give the best possible impression to their employers regarding their hard work ethic.

The authors of the study acknowledge that they are not sure why the TV is so closely related to being overweight in their study, though previous research has found a relationship with TV viewing and the consumption of fatty foods. At the very least, when you’re watching TV, you are not exerting yourself, and consequently, not burning calories.

In the end, the findings support the idea of developing a lifestyle that encourages not only healthy eating and exercise, but a healthy work environment, as well.