By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    first aid guide
    A Deep Dive into First Aid and CPR Certification
    February 19, 2024
    back pain
    No More Aches! A Guide To Effective Back Pain Relief
    March 28, 2024
    workplace first aid
    First Aid Training Can Improve Workplace Health & Safety
    June 27, 2024
    Latest News
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    healthcare literacy
    Are You Health Literate?
    July 4, 2012
    Patient Power in Indiana
    December 9, 2011
    2/365 teenage pregnancy
    Make IUDs and Implants More Affordable and Accessible for Teens
    September 25, 2012
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Physically Demanding Jobs Linked to Unhealthy Eating: Why Workers Crave Sugary, Fatty Foods
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Public Health > Physically Demanding Jobs Linked to Unhealthy Eating: Why Workers Crave Sugary, Fatty Foods
Public HealthWellness

Physically Demanding Jobs Linked to Unhealthy Eating: Why Workers Crave Sugary, Fatty Foods

Susan Scutti
Susan Scutti
Share
4 Min Read
unhealthy eating research
SHARE

unhealthy eating researchExploring the relationship between health and education, a team of researchers investigated the diets and behaviors of German adults from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds.

unhealthy eating researchExploring the relationship between health and education, a team of researchers investigated the diets and behaviors of German adults from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds. They soon discovered that adults with a lower level of education consume more energy-dense foods — junk food — than their more educated peers. But then again, they drank less alcohol as well.

“Higher levels of physical work activity among adults with lower education may partly explain why they consume more sugar-rich food,” the authors wrote. Oddly, they also observed such ‘class differences’ seemed to disappear at retirement age. “No significant associations between education and energy-dense food intake were observed in the retirement-age group,” they wrote in their study.

Occupation and Behavior

The German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998 involved 7,124 participants, between ages 18 and 79. By repeatedly collecting data on the health status, health-related behavior, and living conditions of adults in Germany, the researchers surmised they would gain a window into the occurrence of widespread diseases, risk factors, and healthcare problems. Not only did the survey encompass more routine healthcare data, it also included complete information on education and nutrition variables for 6,767 persons.

Using this tool, then, the researchers analyzed the association between education levels and consumption of high-sugar foods, high-fat foods, fruits and vegetables, and alcohol. Within the context of the survey, sugar-rich foods included cakes, biscuits, pastries, confectionery products such as sweets, pralines, chocolate, and soft drinks, including lemonade, fruit drinks, pop, cola, and tonic water. Fat-rich foods included TV dinners, fried or deep-fried potatoes, fried sausage, curry sausage, hamburgers, kebabs, and pizza. Calculations were adjusted not only for gender, but also for age, region (former East/West Germany), occupation, income, and influencing factors such as physical activity indicators.

“Men and women with only a primary education had a more frequent intake of sugar-rich and fat-rich foods and a less frequent intake of fruit and vegetables and alcohol than people with a tertiary education,” the authors concluded. Yet, they also noted that physical work activity partly explained the relationship between education and junk food. In particular, the link between education and diet showed itself most vividly among men, who also more frequently reported greater physical work activity when compared to women. Interestingly, these differences evaporated once people reached retirement age.

The authors also hypothesized another reason the more highly educated may eat less junk food. Since alcohol also contributes to energy intake, the educated may feel less inclined to eat high-sugar and high-fat foods simply because they are already drinking their calories.

 

Source: Finger JD, Tylleska T, Lampert T, Mensink GBM. Dietary Behaviour and Socioeconomic Position: The Role of Physical Activity Patterns. PLOS One. 2013.

(photo: shutterstock)

TAGGED:nutrition
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025
Telemedicine Apps
Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
Health
July 20, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
Global Healthcare Policy & Law
July 17, 2025
paramedics in surgical gloves and masks
How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
Health care
July 16, 2025

You Might also Like

Wellness

Here’s How Sleep Deprivation Affects Pain Management

January 31, 2019
Home HealthWellness

Here’s How To Boost Energy Levels Through Your Diet

February 19, 2019

The Adopt One! Challenge: The First Step to Better Patient Engagement and Patient Experiences

August 16, 2013
five star quality rating
FinanceHealth ReformHospital AdministrationPolicy & LawPublic Health

Hospital Selfies and Stars: Patients Look Deeper Than HCAHPS

June 9, 2015
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?