Use of various obesity measurement and classification methods in occupational safety and health research: a systematic review of the literature.

Background: This study systematically examined obesity research in occupational safety and health regarding the use of various obesity measurement and classification methods.

Methods: A systematic search of the PubMed database on English language publications from 2000 to 2015 using related keywords and search of citations resulted in selection of 126 studies. They were categorized into two groups based on their main research question: 1) general physical or mental work-related functioning; and 2) task or body part specific functioning.

Interactive effects of work psychosocial factors on participation in workplace wellness programs.

This study explored concurrent effects of six work psychosocial factors on current participation and the self-reported likelihood of future participation in workplace wellness programs using a cross-sectional survey, an ad hoc focus group, and structured interviews. Classification and regression tree analysis was used to analyze survey responses from 343 employees (194 nonparticipants, 95 participants, and 54 engaged participants). A thematic analysis of focus group ( = 7) and interview ( = 5) narratives was also undertaken.

Central and peripheral fatigue development in the shoulder muscle with obesity during an isometric endurance task.

Background: Fatigue increases the likelihood of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders and injury. Due to the physiological and neuromuscular changes that accompany obesity, it may alter the fatigue development mechanism and exacerbate injury risk. The upper extremities have the highest incidence rates for work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Obesity-related changes in prolonged repetitive lifting performance.

Despite the rising prevalence of obesity, little is known about its moderating effects on injury risk factors, such as fatigue, in occupational settings. This study investigated the effect of obesity, prolonged repetitive lifting and their interaction on lifting performance of 14 participants, 7 obese (mean body mass index (BMI): 33.2 kg m(-2)) and 7 non-obese (mean BMI: 22.

Modeling the spread of an obesity intervention through a social network.

With the growing prevalence of obesity and the public health implications, it is critical to develop and evaluate potential interventions. One approach is to investigate the spread of positive health outcomes through a social network. We employ the ground concepts of spread maximization problem and adapt it to best reflect the dynamics of a weight loss intervention.