What do politicians and drivers have in common? A new survey released today by Weight Watchers At Work has branded these as the nation’s most overweight professions; 70% of New Zealanders identified drivers as overweight or obese. The next bulkiest profession, according to the survey, is Politicians, with 63% of the public perceiving them to be overweight.

The nationwide At Work survey polled Kiwis to explore how workplace culture affects healthy lifestyles and uncovered some very compelling results; 45% of respondents indicated they work in a drinking culture, and 58% of respondents find it hard to make time to lead a healthy lifestyle. A staggering 51% of respondents were overweight or obese; a statistic corroborated by the most recent NZ Adult Nutrition Survey which put this figure even higher at 64.8%.-

Other key results further highlight NZ’s obesity issues:

- 75% of Kiwis are too exhausted to exercise when they get home from work

- 60% of respondents think eating healthily and keeping fit costs too much

- More than half (50.8%) of all respondents skip breakfast on weekdays

- 60% of overweight or obese respondents have fast food options close to their workplaces

This results are no surprise to Weight Watchers’ At Work representative, Carole Pinker, "a sedentary work life is a big contributor to weight gain," she said. "That’s why having programmes in place such as Weight Watchers’ At Work can be vital to health and well-being."

"It’s imperative for businesses to think about their employees’ wellbeing and health, especially with the current obesity epidemic," says Pinker. "With most people (64.5%) spending upwards of 30 hours per week at work, there needs to be more support in the workplace to keep people healthy."

The At Work programme brings the Weight Watchers experience into the workplace and eliminates the ‘time poor’ excuse. Groups can hold meetings on site and benefit from the support of their work mates in making healthier choices and keeping on track.