This study examined how higher body mass index (BMI) affects the work hours of men and women and how the impact varies by gender and the value of BMI. Using a longitudinal dataset of 1603 British adults (men: n = 775; women: n = 828) and a panel threshold regression model, this study estimated that BMI has significant impacts on work hours but the pattern is different by gender and BMI groups. BMI is positively associated with work hours up to the estimated BMI threshold of 30, which corresponds to the clinical cutoff point of obesity; above this point, additional increases in BMI is associated with reduced work hours. The asymmetric nonlinear relationship between BMI and work hours was more evident among women, particularly female low-skilled workers. The results imply reduced work capacity and lower labor income for women with a higher BMI above an obesity threshold, highlighting a practical role of BMI’s obesity cutoff value. The findings of this study provide a new perspective regarding the economic burden of workplace obesity and point out the need to design gender-specific and BMI-based strategies to tackle productivity loss from obesity.

中文翻译：

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体重指数对工作时间的异质影响

这项研究调查了较高的体重指数 (BMI) 如何影响男性和女性的工作时间，以及这种影响如何因性别和 BMI 值而异。使用 1603 名英国成年人的纵向数据集（男性：n = 775；女性：n= 828) 和面板阈值回归模型，本研究估计 BMI 对工作时间有显着影响，但该模式因性别和 BMI 组而异。BMI 与工作时间呈正相关，达到 30 的估计 BMI 阈值，这对应于肥胖的临床临界点；超过这一点，BMI 的额外增加与减少的工作时间有关。BMI 与工作时间之间的非对称非线性关系在女性中更为明显，尤其是女性低技能工人。结果表明，BMI 高于肥胖阈值的女性的工作能力降低，劳动收入降低，突出了 BMI 肥胖临界值的实际作用。