Commuters ‘Walk a Marathon Every Fortnight’

More than three million commuters are walking the equivalent of a marathon (26.2 miles) every fortnight getting to and from work, research suggests. The ICM poll for Macmillan Cancer Support found 11% of workers spend more than 40 minutes a day walking as part of their commute – including between underground or train platforms, climbing escalators and getting to railway stations, bus stops and the office.

Air Pollution ‘Causes Heart Attacks and Strokes’

Air pollution causes heart attacks and strokes by damaging people’s “good” cholesterol, researchers have claimed. The study from the University of Washington in Seattle found women suffer more than men. Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said there is an urgent need to fund more research that looks in to the dangerous effects of air pollution on the cardiovascular system. The World Health Organisation estimates that three million people die as a result of air pollution.

Over Half of Employees See Increase In Mental Health-Related Illnesses

Although 72% of employers believed they had a key role in influencing employee health in 2015, this decreased to 67% in 2016.  The survey found 58% of employers would like a better understanding of the impacts of health risks, while 72% now use some form of data to drive health and wellbeing strategy. The most popular sources were absence data (57%) and employee engagement surveys (45%).

Smoking ‘Causes One in Ten Deaths Globally’

One in four men and one in 20 women smoke. The study, published in the Lancet, shows there were 6.4 million deaths attributed to smoking in 2015, of which half were in just four countries – China, India, the US and Russia.

Health Consequences of Shift Work and Insufficient Sleep

Shiftwork is linked with an increase in accidents, type-2 diabetes, weight gain, coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer, an analysis of the literature on shift work and adverse health has found. According to the review, published in the BMJ, the effect of shiftwork on sleep mainly concerns acute sleep loss related to night shifts and early morning shifts. The study authors, from Stockholm University and the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, recommend additional research to determine if insufficient sleep is a causal pathway for the adverse health effects associated with shiftwork.

Supporting Someone Back to Work After A Brain Injury

For employers it can be hard to see how they will be able to support an employee when they return to work after a brain injury. The type and severity of their injury can vary enormously, and it’s not always clear at first what difficulties and needs the employee will have. The injury could affect their social skills, behaviour and relationships with other colleagues, or could change how someone concentrates, learns, processes and remembers things.  When looking at how you may adapt the workplace – whether that’s physical adjustments to make it more accessible or changing the hours of the employee’s working day – it’s essential that you discuss any changes with the individual, and ask them for their input.

Diabetes ‘Increases Dementia Risk’

Resistance to insulin, caused in part by obesity and physical activity, may be linked to an increase in cognitive decline, research shows. The study by the University of Tel Aviv, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, found both the diabetic and non-diabetic participants in a 20 year trial, all of who had insulin resistance, experienced accelerated cognitive decline in executive function and memory.

Two Thirds of Cancers ‘Unavoidable’

Scientists in the US found cancers are caused by random mistakes in the genetic code that occur when cells divide. They said the vast majority of cancers are probably down to unlucky defects in replicating DNA that occur out of the blue. The research, published in the journal Science, helps explain why cancer often strikes people live healthily and have no family history of the disease.

Work Stress ‘Leading to Sleepness Nights and Poor Smoking Habits’

The survey found 51% of employees lose sleep worrying about their job or work-related concerns, while 11% go to work feeling tired every day. Two-fifths (41%) said they sometimes stay up late or get up early to check emails, with men (46%) more likely to do so than women (36%). The survey of 1,000 employees also found that 27% of those who smoke do so more at work than they do at home and 34% smoke more after a busy or stressful day at work.

High Waist to Hip Ratio ‘Increases Womb Cancer Risk’

Women who have a higher waist to hip ratio could have an increased risk of womb cancer, a study suggests. Researchers writing in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found that for every increase of 0.1 units in the ratio between waist and hip, the risk of developing the disease increased by 21%. Experts from the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), which part-funded the study, said the results showed a strong relationship between cancer and carrying extra weight around the waist.

Construction Workers ‘Need Mental Health Support’

Figures from the Samaritans suggest suicide kills six times as many construction workers as falling from heights. There were 6,122 recorded deaths by suicide in the UK in 2014 of which 76% were men. Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50 and the highest suicide rate is among males aged 45-59. Many employees feel they cannot talk to their employer about their mental health, and this can be particularly true in male-dominated cultures such as building and construction.

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