Working Out at Work

The benefits of working out are undeniable. People that workout tend to sleep better, eat healthier, have more energy throughout the day, and live longer. With the upward trend in obesity that America has experienced over the past several decades, exercise has become a hot topic for Americans. Today, over one in every three Americans are obese. People who are obese that would like to lose weight claim that they simply do not have time to workout or do not have the budget to afford healthier food options. The article, "Get a Life- or Get Fat" from the economist, finds that people who work longer hours tend to be more obese. Intuitively, this make sense, since people who work more would have less time to be active.

In order to offset this weight gain due to longer work hours, a number of options could be implemented. One option the economist wrote on a year prior to the publication of the aforementioned article was standing while at work. Constant inactivity is harmful to the body. It alters your metabolism and tightens your muscles. Simply moving while at work helps keep the heart rate up, helps keep the mind flowing, and loosens one's muscles. Another option would be to allow workers the option of one hour to exercise at some point during their work day. This will most likely result in workers having to stay longer at the office, but studies have suggested that after working out, people work more efficiently. Therefore, the longer hours from the workout could be slightly offset by increased productivity. Although a federal or state policy to force people to work out is not rational, private employers could encourage a more healthy lifestyle by encouraging one or both of these options. Not only will the person be healthier, but a company's bottom line might find itself better off as well.