Physically Demanding Jobs Can Send You to an Early Grave

A new study suggests that people having physically demanding jobs are more likely to die prematurely than their peers working less strenuously.

The study which appeared this week in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that we have a “physical activity paradox.” The meta-analysis included 17 past studies about leisure and hard work.

Researchers found that exercising while not at work is very healthy but overdoing it at work can lead to a premature death.

Strenuous jobs were tied to 18 percent higher risk of premature death in men. Researchers found no similar link in women with physically challenging jobs.

Past studies have tied physical activity at work to many health benefits. For instance, a British study from the 1950s found that London tram conductors had a lower risk of heart disease than drivers. Unlike drivers, conductors had an active job.

However, tram conductors’ physical activity at work cannot be compared to the physical activity of a construction or warehouse workers.

Strenuous Jobs Can Literally Kill You

Because of technological advances, physically demanding jobs have been greatly reduced in recent decades. So, there are very few highly active occupations out there, and people engaged in them usually come from a low socioeconomic layer.

Past studies have shown that poor people are in worse health condition than better-off people. What’s more, poor people are more likely to be heavy drinkers or smokers and eat less healthy, which can lead to an early death too.

Now, the latest study suggests that a strenuous job can trim their lives even further. Researchers insist that despite the other risk factors, a physically challenging occupation can lead to a poorer life outcome in men.

Study authors explained that physically demanding jobs require people to stay active for long periods of times, sometimes between six and eight hours, with little time for recovery. By contrast, physical activity as a pastime leaves a lot of room for resting and deloading.
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