You probably know about some of the biggest causes of heart disease, such as not getting enough exercise or having an unhealthy diet. While these things seem easy enough to change, there are other facts that can’t be changed as easily, or at all—such as hereditary issues. Additionally, new research shows that your job itself may contribute to the risk level.
The results of the study can be unsettling. Those working in service positions, those with blue-collar occupations, and those who are unemployed have a high risk. In fact, 2.9 percent of people working in wholesale had strokes or heart attacks, making it the most dangerous industry in this regard.
The second most dangerous industry is public administration, with 2.8 percent. Next came administrative, support, remediation and waste management, with 2.7. It was tied for that spot with transportation and warehousing.
What was the safest industry? It is finance and insurance. Only 0.8 percent of the people in that industry suffered from heart disease, the lowest in the study.
The next safest industry is information, with just 1.1 percent, and then education services, with 1.2 percent.
Remember, since these are percentages, the differences in overall totals are accounted for. The fact that far more people have blue-collar jobs than work in high-end finance jobs doesn’t matter, for example, with risks based on percentages of overall workers.
As this study shows, there is a direct correlation between where people work and the likelihood of heart disease and related issues. If you are suffering from a medical condition caused by your job, be sure you know your legal rights in North Carolina.
Source: LiveScience, “Heart Disease Risk Revealed,” accessed Oct. 22, 2015
