Why working hard might be bad for your heart
Occupational Physical Activity and Mortality Risk: Evidence From a Nationally Representative US Sample (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2006).
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
People who exercise regularly in their free time had over six times higher risk of CVD death if their job was physically demanding.
Public health messaging always says 'move more' — but this shows that if your job forces you to be active all day, extra exercise doesn’t offset the damage.
Practical Takeaways
If you have a physically demanding job, prioritize recovery: rest days, heart rate monitoring, and regular medical checkups — don’t assume your gym time cancels out job strain.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
People who exercise regularly in their free time had over six times higher risk of CVD death if their job was physically demanding.
Public health messaging always says 'move more' — but this shows that if your job forces you to be active all day, extra exercise doesn’t offset the damage.
Practical Takeaways
If you have a physically demanding job, prioritize recovery: rest days, heart rate monitoring, and regular medical checkups — don’t assume your gym time cancels out job strain.
Publication
Journal
Journal of physical activity & health
Year
2025
Authors
Tyler D. Quinn, William Boyer
Related Content
Claims (5)
People who do physically demanding jobs, like construction or farming, may be more likely to die sooner than people with less physically demanding jobs — especially if they’re younger or women.
People with very physically demanding jobs, like lifting heavy things all day, are more likely to die from heart problems than people with less active jobs — even if they exercise in their free time.
If you’ve never smoked but have a very physically demanding job, your risk of dying from heart disease is more than three times higher than someone with a less active job — even if you’re otherwise healthy.
Even if you exercise regularly in your free time, having a very physically demanding job can still make your risk of dying from heart disease more than six times higher than someone with a less active job.
Even if you work out at the gym or go for runs after work, having a job that requires heavy physical labor might still be bad for your health — which is the opposite of what most people expect.