A new study from Duke University has found
that obese workers file more workers’ compensation claims, have higher
costs from those claims, and lose more days of work than non-obese
workers.
The study examined the relationship between body
mass index (BMI) and the rate of workers’ compensation claims. For
workers with a BMI in the normal range of 18.5 to 24.9, the rate was
5.8 workers’ compensation claims per 100 workers. Among workers who had
a BMI greater than 40 (30 and above is considered obese), the rate was
11.65 claims per 100 workers.
What’s more, the average
medical claims costs were $51,019 per 100 employees among obese
workers, compared to $7,503 per 100 employees among non-obese workers.
The lost work day rate was 183.63 per 100 employees among obese workers
and 14.19 per 100 employees among workers within the normal BMI range.
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