Worker Health and Wellness

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Supporters of sick leave policies say they help prevent the spread of disease and on-the-job injuries. Critics claim they are burdensome and costly to employers.

Bethesda, MD – Are you a casual smoker? Do you smoke less than one cigarette a day? You still could face significant health problems, according to a study from the National Cancer Institute.

Washington – Do you sleep only five or six hours a night? If so, your risk of being involved in a vehicle crash is doubled – and that risk increases sharply the less you sleep – according to research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

Cambridge, England – Lack of sleep among U.S. workers results in an increased risk of death and the loss of 1.2 million working days per year, and costs the economy up to $411 billion annually, according to a new report from RAND Europe, part of the nonprofit research institute RAND Corp.

Bergen, Norway – Worrying about heart disease and other serious illnesses may boost your risk of developing heart disease, according to a recent study.

Food allergies, whether mild or serious, are medical conditions that affect up to 15 million people in the United States, according to Food Allergy Research & Education, a nonprofit organization.

Corvallis, OR – Repeatedly thinking about conflicts between work and personal life puts people at risk for physical and mental health issues, according to a study from Oregon State University.

Omaha, NE – People who participate in a weight management program at work experience lower health care costs and better quality of life, according to a study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Washington – The number of adults in the United States who smoke cigarettes fell below 40 million for the first time since modern recordkeeping began in 1965 – but not everyone has benefited from the trend. Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the country, according to two new reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Odense, Denmark – People who frequently bike to work or in their free time have a decreased risk of heart disease, according to two studies recently published by the American Heart Association.