Scientists at Ohio University have warned that women risk developing heart disease and cancer for overworking. The risk begins to climb when women put in more than 40 hours and take a decidedly bad turn above 50 hours, the researchers found.
"Women - especially women who have to juggle multiple roles - feel the effects of intensive work experiences and that can set the table for a variety of illnesses and disability," said Allard Dembe.
According to the research, women who work an average of 60 hours or more over three decades are three times more likely to develop the risk of diabetes, cancer, heart problems and arthritis.
"People don't think that much about how their early work experiences affect them down the road," said Prof Dembe.
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"Women in their 20s, 30s and 40s are setting themselves up for problems later in life." he said.
Women tend to take the lion's share of family responsibility and may face more pressure and stress than men when they work long hours, previous research shows. Workers who put in long hours face more stress, have sleep and digestive disorders and are more fatigued.
