Living conditions differ between blue collar and white collar workers

One in five blue collar workers is a daily smoker, while one in ten white collar workers smokes daily. In addition, overweight and obesity is more common among blue collar workers than white collar workers. There are also socioeconomic differences concerning exercise habits.

Statistics Sweden's Living Conditions Survey 2010 shows clear differences in the living conditions among persons who are blue collar workers and those who are white collar workers. The percentage of those with disorders such as anxiety, worry or fear among female blue collar workers was 29 percent while the percentage for female white collar workers was 20 percent. The corresponding figures for men were 16 and 13 percent respectively.

Welfare indicators among blue collar workers and white collar workers age 16 and older 2010. Percent

6 of 10 blue collar workers are overweight or obese

Among men, 61 percent of blue collar workers and 53 percent of white collar workers are overweight, of whom 15 and 9 percent respectively are classified as obese, i.e. having a BMI value over 30. The conditions are about the same for women, but the levels on the whole are lower for women than for men.

One in five blue collar workers is a daily smoker, while one in ten white collar workers smokes daily

Distinct socioeconomic differences are also seen for smoking and exercise habits. Roughly one in five female blue collar workers smoke daily, compared to about one in ten female white collar workers. In addition 21 percent of male blue collar workers and 17 percent of female blue collar workers never exercise, while the corresponding proportions among white collar workers are 12 and 9 percent respectively.

Definitions and explanations

Blue collar workers: The graph above presents a combination of:

Unskilled and semi-skilled blue collar workers:

Occupations that normally require less than two years education after compulsory school, such as plant workers, firemen, bus drivers, farm workers, train drivers, hospital ward assistants, seamstresses and truck drivers.

Skilled blue collar workers:

Occupations that normally require at least two years education after compulsory school, such as bakers, hair stylists, electricians, mechanics, sheet metal workers, typographers and nursing assistants.

White collar workers: The graph above presents a combination of:

Lower level white collar workers:

Occupations that require less than three years education after compulsory school, such as pharmacy technicians, librarian assistants, driving instructors, catering supervisors, police assistants, telephone operators, and caretakers.

Intermediate level white collar workers:

Occupations that require at least three to six years education after compulsory school, such as plant supervisors, engineers, lower level compulsory school teachers and nurses.

Upper level white collar workers (including freelancers with academic occupations):

Occupations that require at least six years education after compulsory school, such as dentists, upper level compulsory school teachers, department heads, social workers, engineers with graduate degrees, and other management positions and managing directors.

Overweight and Obesity: Body Mass Index (BMI) >25 (overweight) and >30 (obese). BMI is calculated as the ratio between body weight (in kilograms) and the squared body height (in metres) (Weight/ (height*height)).

No exercise during leisure time: Persons who answered "Basically never" to the interview question "Do you exercise at least 30 minutes at a time?" Walks of at least 30 minutes are included here.