Obesity rates in the mining sector are 20 percent higher than the general Australian population, according to a new report launched at Queensland’s Parliament House today.
The Productivity and Preventative Health Investment – The Queensland Resources Sector report says between 73 and 87 percent of resources sector workers are overweight or obese.
This compares to 66 percent of the general population.
The report is part of a push to reduce record levels of overweight and obese miners in Queensland
It was written and researched by the Futures Advisory arm of the Queensland Futures Institute (QFI), and sponsored by Novo Nordisk, a pharmaceutical and obesity drug manufacturer.
Queensland Health Futures Council Chair Robyn Littlewood said a prevention-first approach was one of the smartest investments the sector could make.
“Queensland’s resources companies are already global leaders in safety,” Dr Littlewood, who is CEO of Health and Wellbeing Queensland, said.
“This report shows how the same mindset – prevention, data, and partnership – can deliver healthier workers and stronger productivity.”
The report says there are several drivers and occupational factors associated with working in the sector which have been shown to increase the predisposition of workers to become overweight and obese.
Typically, employees at remote sites have limited or no access to external food sources and rely on food provided by workplaces where there is usually an abundance of food available, with no limit on portions.
Other factors include the fly-in fly-out working arrangements which disrupt workers’ dietary, eating, exercise and sleep patterns. FIFO workers with multiple health risks, including obesity, can cost nearly $21 million per 1,000 workers per year in lost productivity, QFI said in a statement.
In addition, shift work is associated with an increased risk of weight gain because of limited opportunities to access healthy food and exercise.
Other studies have estimated that employees at remote sites receive only 50 percent of their yearly nutritional intake while at work, the report says.
“Previous studies have shown that obesity reduces life expectancy by up to a decade, is linked to more than 30 diseases and associated with many other medical problems. It has also been shown to increase absenteeism, fatigue, workers’ compensation costs and healthcare costs,” the report says.
The report calls for a sector-wide approach and plan, underpinned by collective leadership across the government, the sector, the health system, industry, universities and communities.
“This is because tackling the issue requires systemic change across multiple players, as well as leveraging and sharing the available expertise, data, resources, and knowledge which already exists,” the report says.
“Although various data sources exist, there is currently no clear baseline for the prevalence of overweight and obese workers in the Queensland mining and resources sector.
“The lack of a clear baseline should be a major cause for concern, given the incidence of overweight (workers) and obesity in the general Queensland population and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the mining industry elsewhere in Australia,” the report says.
“There is a need to invest in further evidence-based research, preventative health programs, clinical guidelines, pathways, and support services to fill known gaps.
“The skills shortages being experienced in mining and resources sectors are being exacerbated by potential new workers regularly failing their mandatory pre-employment health assessments because of their weight.
“If nothing more is done, overweight and obesity rates will continue to increase, leading to higher rates of chronic disease, disability and lost productivity, as well as increasing direct and indirect costs to workers, employers, government and the Queensland economy.”
By reducing risk factors, companies can lower absenteeism, reduce workers’ compensation costs, pass pre-employment assessments more consistently, and tap into a larger, healthier talent pool – directly addressing skills pressures as the workforce ages.
