Abstract
There has been an increased emphasis on the intersection of work-related activities and expectations with current health status and expected health behaviors. Occupational health programs traditionally are institutional programs designed to promote a healthy and safe workplace environment and maintain healthy employees. Recently, there has been an increased emphasis on the perception of an individual’s job-related abilities based on the perception of that individual’s health status, especially related to their physical stature and body weight and job-related stamina.
In fact, some research has suggested that being overweight or obese affects the chief executive officer’s perceived leadership ability and job-related stamina. In addition, some literature suggests that there is an increased perception that chief executive officers who are overweight or obese are considered less effective in their job-related responsibilities. These perceptions indicate that the current obesity epidemic in our country is now affecting workplace perceptions and may indirectly or directly affect perceived effectiveness of individuals in key leadership positions. Perception may not be factual, but perception is definitely considered “real” to the individual who is the perceiver. Competence perception is not the same as measurable leadership outcomes for chief executive officers, but is something that is critical. Therefore, even if these beliefs are not based on evidence, the beliefs are grounded in perception—this is a reality that we must deal with in the area of men’s health. If these perceptions are happening at the C-suite level, then I believe these perceptions must be occurring throughout workplace organizations.
Men’s health practitioners are encouraged to definitely emphasize the negative health effects of being overweight and obesity. Now we have an additional strategy to use to encourage individuals to improve their weight status and eventually their overall health. Educate individuals on the negative perceptions associated with competence, performance, stamina, and being overweight or obese. For many men, their ability to lead productive lives in the workplace is a defining aspect of their health. If others’ perception of their ability and/or their perception of their ability decrease, then their perceived health status will be affected. This could lead to the individual having a projected insecurity in the workplace, which may then confound their weight issue.