People working in construction, logistics and the public sector are especially at risk of death from overwork, the Taiwan Millennium Health Foundation said yesterday.
With one in three workers over the age of 20 fitting that category, the foundation said such findings should alert the authorities to the need for action.
A recent study analyzing the health records, waist size, blood pressure, blood sugar level and other data of 2,920 workers over 20 years of age found that people in the construction, logistics and public sectors were at high risk of death from overwork.
The study also showed that 28 percent of workers between 20 and 29 years of age and 42 percent of workers between the ages of 30 and 39 were at risk of developing metabolic syndrome, which is defined by the Mayo Clinic in the US as “a cluster of conditions — increased blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, excess body fat around the waist or abnormal cholesterol levels — that occur together, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.”
A lifestyle characterized by long-term stress and excess weight or obesity has been shown to be major contributing factors to metabolic syndrome, which can increase the risk of developing diabetes or cardiovascular disease, said foundation board member Su Ih-jen (蘇益仁), who is also a former director of the Centers for Disease Control.
This is consistent with data from the study that showed that 87 percent of the workers surveyed regularly put in overtime, with as many as one in four workers working more than 10 hours a day.
At the same time, more than half of respondents said they did not pay special attention to their diet or exercise, while 46 percent did not know that death from overwork was related to high blood pressure, blood sugar levels and blood lipids. This suggests that many workers are unaware of the need to manage their health to avoid metabolic syndrome, the foundation said.
“People with cardiovascular -disease who combine this with overwhelming amounts of work and stress can see their cardiovascular condition worsen quickly, which can easily cause sudden death from overwork,” Su said.
Cases of death by overwork have been in the spotlight for months, with the most recent case involving the death of a 29-year-old security guard on the job after a long period of working long hours. Other cases involve engineers at high-tech companies dying suddenly in the prime of their life, despite having no history of chronic disease.
The Council of Labor Affairs recently eased restrictions governing compensation for families of workers who die as a result of overwork. The move came after the council faced accusations it was not adequately protecting workers’ rights and was turning a blind eye to the growing incidence of overwork--related deaths.
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