Weight management is a personal issue that impacts the employer's bottom line. From rising medical expenses in the treatment of chronic disease associated with overweight and obesity to lower productivity, the employer pays a price.

Eighty percent of obese adults suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, high cholesterol, osteoarthritis, or a combination of these conditions.¹ Because it contributes to so many other serious conditions, obesity is considered to be one of the most important, underlying, and preventable causes of poor health and premature death.²

However, the effects of overweight and obesity do not have to be permanent. For adults, losing excess weight has positive effects on overall health status. A 5% to 7% reduction in body weight decreases the risk of type 2 diabetes, reduces blood pressures, and improves cholesterol.⁶ Among patients with existing glucose intolerance, weight loss through lifestyle change is associated with as much as a 58% reduction in incidence of diabetes.⁷

The following Driving Forces summarize why the implementation of Worksite Weight Management programs is good business.

Driving Force 1: Overweight and obesity is on the rise in Lancaster County.

Ref. Alan Brader, MD

Driving Force 2: Obesity has negative economic impact on the workplace.

Obesity contributes significantly to medical costs in the United States.⁴ The cost to employers of obesity-related health problems in 1994 was estimated to be $13 billion per year, including $8 billion in medical claims, $2.4 billion in paid sick leave, $1.8 billion in life insurance, and almost $1 billion in disability insurance.⁴ Each year, an estimated 39 million work days are lost to obesity-related illnesses.⁵

The following chart is based on workers with a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 40. The number of claims, lost workdays, and costs information is per 100 FTEs.

Driving Force 3: Obesity has a negative impact on productivity in the workplace.

• Moderately or extremely obese workers (BMI>35) experienced the greatest health related work limitations, specifically regarding time needed to complete tasks and ability to perform physical job demands.
• 4.2% health related loss in productivity.
• $506 annually in lost productivity per worker.
• Extremely or moderately obese workers are significantly less productive than mildly obese workers.

Donna M. Gtes, EdD, RN, FAAN, Paul Sucoop. MD, Bonnie J. Brehm,PhD, RDGordon L. Gillespie,MSN, APRN,BC. Benjamin D. Sommers,MD,PhD.

Driving Force 4: Workplace wellness programs demonstrate proven financial benefits.

Meta-Analysis of 56 studies of long-term worksite wellness programs:

• An average 26% decrease in health care costs.
• A 27% drop in sick leave
• A 32% reduction in workers’ compensation cost.

Chapman LS. Meta-evaluation of worksite health promotion economic return studies: 2005 update. The Art of Health Promotion. 2005;19(6):1-11.

Solutions Available for Your Workplace

The Lighten Up Lancaster County Coalition was developed to address the issue of overweight and obesity in Lancaster County workplaces, schools, and communities. The coalition meets on a monthly basis to discuss implementation of healthy weight guidelines in the community. The goals of Lighten Up Lancaster County are:

• Increase the percent of adults who exercise
• Increase the percent of adults who eat more fruits and vegetables
• Increase the percent of adults at a healthy weight
• Decrease the percent of children classified as "at risk" or overweight
• Decrease the percent of obese adults
• Lighten Up Lancaster County Coalition will be implementing weight management initiatives and providing weight management resources that you can utilize at your organization free of charge.

Conclusion

If the benefits identified here through implementing a worksite weight management program resonate with your business goals, please download the complete toolkit in order to assure that you receive all the benefits of the "Lighten Up Lancaster County Coalition" initiative, and authorize a member of your staff to actively implement measures designed by this coalition.

References:
1. Must A, Spandano J, Coakley EH, Field AE, Colditz G, Dietz WH. The disease burden associated with overweight andobesity. JAMA 1999;282:1523-9.
2. Mokdad A, Marks JS, Stroup DE, Gerberding JL. Actual causes of death in the United States. JAMA 2004; 291(10): 1238-1245. Corrected and republished from: JAMA 2005; 293(3): 293-294.
3. Finkelstein EA, Fiebelkorn IC, Wang G. National medical spending attributable to overweight and obesity: How much, and who’s paying? Health Aff 2003;W3; 219-26.
4. Thompson D, Edelsberg J, Kinsay KL, Oster G. Estimated economic costs of obesity to U.S. business. Am J Health Promot 1998;13:120-7.
5. Thorpe KE, Florence CS, Howard DH, Joski P. The impact of obesity on rising medical spending. Health Aff 2004; W4:480-6.
6. NHLBI Obesity Education Initiative. Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults: the Evidence Report. Bethesda (MD): National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health; 1998. NIH Publication No. 98-4083.
7. Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin. N Engl J Med 2002;346:393-403.