A new report from Vitality has revealed that unhealthy lifestyles remain a significant challenge to the health and productivity of the UK workforce.
Despite reductions in certain negative habits, such as excessive drinking – which has declined by approximately 27% over the past decade – obesity rates among employees have risen by 51% during the same period.
In 2023, 37% of employees were reported to be physically inactive, and 56% did not maintain a healthy diet. The report identifies these behaviours as contributing factors to the growing health issues within the workforce.
The report highlights that obesity rates have increased across all age groups since 2014. Notably, employees under 35 experienced a 55% rise in obesity rates, compared to a 39% increase among those aged 35 to 49 and a 32% increase among employees aged 50 and over. As of 2023, nearly one in four UK employees (23%) were classified as obese.
Vitality’s findings suggest that declining physical activity and poor dietary habits are key drivers behind the increase in obesity. In 2023, more than a third of employees were physically inactive, and over half did not follow a healthy diet.
The report also highlights a marked decline in mental health among UK employees. Since 2014, the prevalence of anxiety and depression in the workforce has risen by 75%. Financial concerns have become widespread, with 52% of employees reporting financial worries in 2023, of which 10% described their concerns as severe.
Additionally, 15% of employees reported experiencing burnout, attributed to chronic workplace stress.
Depression rates have more than doubled among employees aged 35 to 49, a demographic often referred to as the "sandwich generation" due to the dual pressures of caring for elderly relatives and young children.
Younger employees are disproportionately affected by mental health issues, with 14% of workers under 35 and 10% of those aged 35 to 49 identified as being at risk of anxiety and depression, compared to 5% of employees aged 50 and above.
Vitality’s data indicates that lost productivity has more than doubled over the past decade. In 2014, UK employees lost an average of 23 days of productivity annually, which rose to approximately 50 days by 2022 and 2023.
A significant contributor to this issue is presenteeism—where employees are at work but not fully productive—accounting for nearly 90% of all lost productivity. This contrasts with absenteeism, which is more easily tracked by employers.
Arun Thiyagarajan (pictured above), CEO of VitalityHealth, commented on the findings, noting a clear connection between employee health and workplace productivity.
“With more of the UK workforce than ever reporting key risks such as obesity and depression – which have hugely negative impacts for the individual, their life and their productivity at work, as well as driving increased healthcare demand – it’s up to business, government, and society to take steps to not just manage employee health and its productivity fallout, but positively improve it,” Thiyagarajan said.
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