A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Onset of Workplace Bullying and Risk of Weight Gain: A Multicohort Longitudinal Study
Authors: Tianwei Xu, Linda L. Magnusson Hanson, Alice J. Clark, Annette K. Ersbøll, Hugo Westerlund, Ida E. H. Madsen, Reiner Rugulies, Jaana Pentti, Sari Stenholm, Jussi Vahtera, Jeppe K. Sørensen, Mads Nordentoft, Rudi G. J. Westendorp, Åse M. Hansen, Tuula Oksanen, Marianna Virtanen, Mika Kivimäki, Naja H. Rod
Publisher: WILEY
Publication year: 2020
Journal: Obesity
Journal name in source: OBESITY
Journal acronym: OBESITY
Volume: 28
Issue: 11
First page : 2216
Last page: 2223
Number of pages: 8
ISSN: 1930-7381
eISSN: 1930-739X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22956
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10111166/1/oby.22956.pdf
Objective This study aimed to examine the onset of workplace bullying as a risk factor for BMI increase. Methods Repeated biennial survey data from three Nordic cohort studies were used, totaling 46,148 participants (67,337 participant observations) aged between 18 and 65 who did not have obesity and who were not bullied at the baseline. Multinomial logistic regression was applied for the analysis under the framework of generalized estimating equations. Results Five percent reported onset of workplace bullying within 2 years from the baseline. In confounder-adjusted models, onset of workplace bullying was associated with a higher risk of weight gain of >= 1 BMI unit (odds ratio = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.01-1.19) and of >= 2.5 BMI units (odds ratio = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.06-1.45). A dose-response pattern was observed, and those exposed to workplace bullying more frequently showed a higher risk (P-trend = 0.04). The association was robust to adjustments, restrictions, stratifications, and use of relative/absolute scales for BMI change. Conclusions Participants with exposure to the onset of workplace bullying were more likely to gain weight, a possible pathway linking workplace bullying to increased long-term risk of type 2 diabetes.
