Advertising, marketing and PR have topped a list of the UK’s healthiest professions despite those working in these sectors claiming they have stressful jobs.
A survey of some 3000 workers by health-care plan provider Medicash questioned participants on their lifestyle, diet, exercise and stress levels at work to determine the country’s healthiest and unhealthiest professions. Teachers were the second-healthiest group, followed by HR professionals, accountants and lawyers.
Those working in the hospitality and catering industries were found to have the most ‘laissez-faire’ attitude to their health — consumption of junk food, cigarettes and alcohol was higher in these sectors than any other, and almost half of those surveyed said they would be most likely to ignore symptoms of ill health in the hope that they would go away, rather than visit the doctor.
Construction workers are the most likely to hit the bottle, with the survey revealing that, on average, builders consume more than 10 alcoholic drinks a week — more than double the number of those working in research and development, health services, and nursing.
Lawyers and those working in the health and social services sectors rated their jobs as the most stressful, though the former were found to drink less alcohol, eat less junk food, and smoke fewer cigarettes than all the other respondent groups.
Peter Lauris, sales and marketing director at Medicash, commented: “It is a fact that healthy people are more happy and productive. Prevention is far better than cure, so those who maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle are ensuring that they put themselves in the best position to perform to the best of their ability at work.”
