Overweight women and short men reportedly earn less than slimmer and taller men
Short men and overweight women earn less than those who are taller and slimmer – and it could be due to discrimination, experts have said.
A new study looking at the genetics of people who are short or overweight found they earned less than their taller and slimmer colleagues. The study conducted from the University of Exeter associated the findings to “obsession with body image.”
The study was published in the British Medical Journal and featured over 120,000 participants between the ages of 40 and 70.
Mirror.co.uk reported that experts knew overweight and short people earned less but it was thought to be due to their education and poor nutrition choices during childhood and early adulthood. Not because of discrimination
Professor Tim Frayling, from the University of Exeter Medical School, who oversaw the work, said: “This is the best available evidence to indicate that your height or weight can directly influence your earnings and other socio-economic factors throughout your life.
“This won’t apply in every case. Many shorter men and overweight women are very successful, but science must now ask why we are seeing this pattern.
“Is this down to factors such as low self-esteem or depression, or is it more to do with discrimination?
“In a world where we are obsessed with body image, are employers biased? That would be bad both for the individuals involved and for society.”
Source: Mirror.co.uk
