Long working hours are a killer, WHO says

The first global study of its kind showed that long working hours led to 745,000 deaths from stroke and heart disease in 2016 – an increase of nearly 30% from 2000, according to the World Health Organisation


SHARE OF POPULATION EXPOSED TO LONG WORKING HOURS*
By WHO region (2016)

Americas
6.4%
-27.2

Africa
11.4%
-34.4

Europe
3.5%
-23.1

Eastern Mediterranean
11.4%
15.9

Southeast Asia
11.7%
1.5

Western Pacific
8.4%
115.4

Figures in bold italics show mean percentage change for 2000-2016

*55 hours or more per week


NUMBER OF DEATHS DUE TO LONG WORKING HOURS
From heart disease and stroke (2016)

Southeast Asia		318,819
Western Pacific		208,477
Eastern Mediterranean	76,918
Europe 			57,670
Americas 		43,364
Africa			39,945
 
72 percent of those that died were men


Sources: BBC, Reuters, ScienceDirect, WHO
Picture: Newscom
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