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Latest NewsWellbeingOccupational Health

Recession increases unhealthy lifestyle choices

by Nic Paton 22 May 2009
by Nic Paton 22 May 2009

British workers are cutting down on exercise, eating less healthily, and smoking and drinking more because of the recession.


Research by PruHealth has recorded a two point decline in its bi-annual Vitality Index survey since July last year, which tracks the nation’s health trends across stress, exercise, diet, smoking, health knowledge and check-ups.


Nearly a fifth of UK adults admitted to living unhealthy lifestyles – an increase of 4% in just six months, it added.


The number reporting they felt under a great deal of stress had increased from 38% to 40% in the past six months. Half of these also felt their stress was affecting their personal life.


The number reporting they now never exercised had increased from 11% to 14%, with more than a quarter blaming increased work commitments.


Just as worrying, the percentage of adults eating a healthy balanced diet had dropped from half to 47%, with the perceived cost of exercise and healthy eating driving more people to cut both out of their daily routines.


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Shaun Matisonn, chief executive at PruHealth, said: “Not only are increased financial and time pressures taking a toll on our stress levels, but they are also having an impact on the amount of exercise people are doing and the content of our diets too.


“However, it’s a lack of health self-awareness that is the key issue,” he added. “Three-quarters of people see the health of themselves and their loved ones as a key priority, but for the majority, it would take a diagnosis of ill health to motivate any significant change of lifestyle.”

Nic Paton

Nic Paton is consultant editor at Personnel Today. One of the country's foremost workplace health journalists, Nic has written for Personnel Today and Occupational Health & Wellbeing since 2001, and edited the magazine from 2018.

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