This review examined difficulties that individuals who are addicted to alcohol or drugs, or are obese, face when they start work, stay in work or return to work.  Evidence was sought from health and local authority service providers, academics, specialists, benefits agencies, voluntary bodies and charities, employers and the devolved administrations.  The perspectives of individuals who have these conditions has also been included. With regards to obesity, lots of obese people are in work however less of those who are severely obese are in work and there is an association between obesity and other long term health conditions.  The evidence suggests discrimination is experienced by obese employees and that amongst obese employees there is higher sickness absence. Examples from two organisations in how they help to prevent obesity are described.  Recommendations called for in the report include more research to examine the impact of obesity on the working population and to assess links with health-related benefit claims; furthermore, the report recommends that when obesity is recognised as a barrier to work, individuals are referred to local weight-management services.

This report is not specific to the workplace but provides a useful understanding regarding wellbeing in the workplace which links to how organisations may prevent obesity. The report discusses many different elements of obesity including the costs and prevalence, the causes - both biological, behavioural and environmental; and projections for tackling obesity and potential future scenarios. One of the key findings was that it is thought that by 2050 Britain could be a mainly obese society.  Additionally obesity is affected by energy balance which is influenced by physiological factors, eating habits, activity levels and psychosocial influences.   Within each of these, four key determinants of vulnerability to obesity were identified: i) primary appetite control in the brain, ii) the force of dietary habits, which stop individuals from changing to healthier options, iii) physical activity level and iv) the psychological ambivalence experienced by individuals in making lifestyle choices.

This is a short report on obesity as a workplace issue written by the Health and Safety Executive. The document explains the problem of obesity including associated costs.  The report then proposes some specific workplace issues relating to obesity and the role of employers is briefly discussed. Although the report is 10 years old it provides a useful introduction with regards to obesity in the workplace and puts the issue into context.

Public Health England is an executive agency of the Department of Health. This Public Health England Obesity website provides data, evaluation, evidence and research examining weight status and its determinants. 

This website is not specific to the workplace but it shows the importance of tackling obesity and that this is being tackled at a national policy level.

The National Obesity Forum was formed in 2000 and is a charity that aims to raise awareness of obesity in the UK and to promote ways in which obesity can be tackled including through achievable and manageable lifestyle changes.  Promoting the ways it can be tackled also includes through general public initiatives and training healthcare professionals.

This website is not specific to the workplace but it shows the importance of tackling obesity and that this is being tackled at a national policy level.