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Heavy Business Travel Linked To Bad Health In New Study
Business travel may be bad for your health reveals a new study released on Monday by Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
According to the study, people who travel 20 days or more a month for business are at an increase risk for cardiovascular disease.
The Columbia University team analyzed medical records of 13,000 people participating in a corporate wellness program.
In the group of employees, about 80 percent traveled at least one to six days a month, while 1 percent traveled more than 20 days per month.
The group that spent the most time on the road was more likely to suffer from obesity, had a lower level of “good” high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and had higher blood pressure.
The study also found that frequent travelers were three times more likely to rate their health as “poor” or “fair.”
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Researchers noted that because 81 percent of business travel is conducted in an automobile, factors like drive-through cuisine and long hours of sitting could contribute to health problems.
Stress caused by appointments, travel schedules and working on the road could also be contributing issues, the study suggested. However, the study found that people who did not do any business travel were also less healthy than those who did light business travel.
It seems counterintuitive, but researchers say that those who do not travel are more likely to have pre-existing medical conditions that keep them at home.
The authors of the study, which was published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, advised business travelers to watch their health and employers to book their employees in hotels with gyms or healthy food options.
By Adriana Padilla for PeterGreenberg.com.
Related Links: Time Healthland, US News & World Report, Times-Colonist
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