Work from home warning as weight gain risk found: ‘Become obese’
A new study by an RMIT University academic found just one hour of working from home increased body mass index over time and elevated the likelihood of obesity.
Tamika Seeto· Finance Reporter
Tue 14 July 2026 at 8:02 am GMT+5:30
4 min read
Aussies who work from home have a higher likelihood of becoming obese, according to grim new findings. Many Aussies are now in remote or hybrid work arrangements, with Victoria preparing to bring in new laws to give workers the right to work from home two days a week
While work from home helps cut down commuting time and has benefits when it comes to work-life balance, there could be a hidden downside to the shift
A new study, published in the Economic Papers journal, found those who work from home do less physical activity and eat more at home, which contributes to them being at greater risk of obesity
Report author and RMIT University academic Opoku Adabor told Yahoo Financepeople were more likely to “eat out of boredom” or snack more frequently when working from home, where they can easily access their kitchen
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“When you work in a home environment, you’ve got so much power over your eating behaviour. So you can reach out to eat whenever you like, at any time,” Adabor said
“That’s compared to working in the office where you have a lunch break, so you’re tied to eating within specific times, which probably helps in terms of obesity.”
Working from home is also linked to reduced physical activity, with people missing out on the exercise associated with taking public transport to and from the office. That includes walking to the bus stop or train station, and then working from there into the office
“If you work in the house, then all these physical activities are completely eliminated, which could, over time, increase obesity,” Adabor said
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Adabor found that adding one hour of working from home increased body mass index by 0.064 to 0.081 points, which is equivalent to between 200 and 250 grams for men and 170 and 210 grams for women
Each extra hour increased the likelihood of being obese by between 7.5 and 9.1 percentage points over time, with obesity defined as having a BMI score of more than 30
Adabor noted things could also go in the other direction for those who work from home, with workers able to prepare and eat healthy, home-cooked food. Similarly, flexible work could allow you to more easily schedule exercise into your schedule
“It could go either way. But in this study, we find that most don’t [schedule] exercise, and since they are not taking the train, they are not walking to the train station to catch the train to the office, potentially, they become obese over time,” he said
