Finance & economics | Economies of scales

The obesity pay gap is worse than previously thought

It affects men as well as women, and is wider for the well-educated

Overweight man in tight shirt on yellow background
Photograph: Getty Images

Obese people experience discrimination in many parts of their lives, and the workplace is no exception. Studies have long shown that obese workers, defined as those with a body-mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, earn significantly less than their slimmer counterparts. In America, several state and local governments are contemplating laws against this treatment. On November 22nd, one such ban came into force in New York City.

This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “Economies of scales”

From the November 25th 2023 edition

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