Association between procrastination, white-collar work and obesity in Japanese male workers: a cross-sectional study

Objective To investigate the associations among procrastination (time inconsistency), work environment and obesity-related factors in Japanese male workers. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Data were collected at two work sites of Japanese electronics manufacturing company in 2015. Participants 795 full-time male workers in a Japanese electric company, aged 35-64 years, who underwent health checkups in 2015. Main outcome measures Body mass index (BMI), adult weight change, obesity (BMI >= 25kg/m(2)), adult weight gain over 10 kg (AWG10) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the associations of procrastination assessed by using a one-item questionnaire and white-collar and blue-collar work with obesity-related factors. Results White-collar workers with high procrastination levels showed positive associations with BMI (B: 0.75, 95% CI 0.06 to 1.44) and adult weight change (B: 1.77, 95% CI 0.26 to 3.29), and had increased odds of AWG10 (OR: 1.85, 95% CI 1.04 to 3.29) and MetS (OR: 2.29 95% CI 1.18 to 4.44) after adjustment for age, education, work-related factors and lifestyle factors. However, such positive associations were not observed among blue-collar workers. Conclusions Procrastination and white-collar work might have a joint effect on weight gain during adulthood and consequential obesity.