Hey, did you know your desk job could be slowly harming your health? The American Heart Association has found that sitting for long periods can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. A 2015 study even found that the more you sit, the higher your risk of dying early. This is true even if you exercise regularly.
This is a big problem, especially since 86% of Americans now work at desk jobs. This rise in sedentary jobs is leading to more serious health conditions and higher health care costs.
So, what’s the cost of a sedentary job? Well, it’s a big issue for many Americans who are already struggling with high health care expenses. In 2018, the average family of four was expected to pay $12,378 in combined premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for the most common employer-sponsored health plan. That’s about $1,000 per month in health care costs, an increase of $1,122 per year, or $100 per month, from 2017. And this trend is likely to continue.
One way to reduce your out-of-pocket expenses is to stay in good health. That means eating right and exercising regularly. But that’s often easier said than done. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends two and a half hours per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise plus two days a week of strength-training activities. Yet only one in five Americans meets these basic guidelines.
So, could a highly active job be the answer? We’ve gathered data on some of the most physically active jobs, measuring their level of fitness benefit by the average amount of calories they burn. These calorie counts are for the average calories burned per hour for a 175-pound person.
But remember, the actual amount of calories burned will vary from person to person depending on individual weight and actual level of activity. For example, although police officers can burn a reported 318 calories per hour, that figure is for periods of physical exertion, such as while making an arrest, and not for time spent sitting at a desk filling out paperwork, which would be no different than the average office job.
We’ve also included the average annual salaries of these jobs. On one hand, your combined savings on out-of-pocket health care costs plus gym memberships could be upwards of $5,000 per year, depending on your individual health care coverage. On the other hand, switching to a more active job could mean a deeper pay cut for you than the potential money saved.
Here are some jobs that burn the most calories, from the lowest calorie burn per hour to the highest:
- Dog Walker: 159 calories/hour, $23,160/year
- Airline Flight Attendant: 238 calories/hour, $50,500/year
- Electrician: 262 calories/hour, $54,110/year
- Nanny: 278 calories/hour, $22,990/year
- Massage Therapist: 318 calories/hour, $39,990/year
- Landscaping or Grounds Maintenance Worker: 318 calories/hour, $28,560/year
- Garbage Collector: 318 calories/hour, $51,581/year
- Police Officer: 318 calories/hour, $62,960/year
- Retail Sales Associate: 318 calories/hour, $23,370/year
- Construction Worker: 318 calories/hour, $33,450/year
- Farmer: 381 calories/hour, $69,620/year
- Steel Mill Worker: 421 calories/hour, $43,200/year
- Bicycle Tour Guide: 460 calories/hour, $28,100/year
- News Photographer: 476 calories/hour, $41,940/year
- Roofer: 500 calories/hour, $38,970/year
- Housekeeper: 516 calories/hour, $24,630/year
- Mover: 516 calories/hour, $25,870/year
- Fitness Instructor: 516 calories/hour, $39,210/year
- Coal Miner: 525 calories/hour, $58,910/year
- Crab Fisher: 556 calories/hour, $50,000/year
- Forester: 557 calories/hour, $38,840/year
- Horse Jockey: 579 calories/hour, $40,000/year
- Firefighter: 635 calories/hour, $49,080/year
- Valet: 714 calories/hour, $23,250/year
- Commercial Diver: 953 calories/hour, $55,270/year
Before you consider switching careers, remember that some of these jobs come with their own risks, such as more stress, a higher risk of injury or even death, and potentially lower pay.
If getting a more active job doesn’t work for your situation, don’t worry. You can still make your desk job healthier. Just regularly interrupt prolonged periods of sitting with physical activity. According to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, those who sat for longer than 90 minutes at a stretch had a 200% greater risk of early death, but those who sat for stretches of less than 30 minutes had a 55% lower risk of death.
Here are some suggestions for how to break up your workday with movement:
- Take frequent movement breaks.
- Rethink using a standing desk.
- Have walking meetings.
- Sneak a workout routine into your day.
- Take advantage of company fitness facilities & wellness programs.
In the end, it definitely pays to make your health a priority. The more you work to keep yourself healthy, the less you’ll have to shell out in the long run in increased medical expenses. So, whether you decide to switch to a more active job or add more movement to the daily routine of your desk job, remember to account for that in your retirement planning.
