The number of U.S. workers who self-describe as overweight is increasing, and more employees blame at least part of their girth expansion on their jobs.

A CareerBuilder annual survey on employee weight, which got input from more than 3,000 workers, found that 57 percent of those surveyed said they were overweight. That's up from 55 percent last year, despite the massive media attention that's been paid to the subject.

Further, 42 percent said they've put on the pounds on their current job, compared to 39 percent the previous year. And more than one in five reported gaining more than 10 pounds in the last year. Only 16 percent said they'd lost weight.

Many cited the stress of the job as triggering overeating and other bad habits that can lead to greater girth.

“Meaning, workers with extremely high on-the-job stress are 49 percent more likely to say they're overweight than workers with extremely low stress,” CareerBuilder reported.

“The health of a company's workforce is a paramount issue for many employers, as neglecting it can significantly dampen workplace morale and productivity,” said Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer at CareerBuilder. “There's a clear incentive to make wellness and work-life balance a focus of organizational culture, and we're encouraged to see many companies making them a priority year-after-year.”

Instant Insights /

Workers say they&rsquo;re chubby and getting chubbier

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Workers say they’re chubby and getting chubbier