Businesses help workers to lose weight

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By ASHLEY M. HEHER, AP Business Writer

A burgeoning industry of wellness advisers, counselors and consultants is booming as corporate America tries to increase productivity and control insurance costs by helping its employees get healthy and shed pounds.

The change is fueled by well-meaning, cost-conscious executives who are looking for ways to trim bottom lines along with waist lines.

"The truth is CEOs are the ones that have to address it," said Mike Huckabee, the Republican presidential candidate and former governor of Arkansas who created a wellness program for state employees after losing more 100 pounds.

And they are.

About 53 percent of large employers offered health risk assessments for their staff last year — up from 35 percent in 2004, according to a survey by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

The prevalence of corporate-sponsored disease management, nurse advice lines and other health-related programs is also climbing as companies find they can no longer trim extra savings out of health insurance policies.

"Employers have spent a lot of time tweaking those, and they haven't spent a lot of time getting a consumer engaged," said Tami Collin, a Mercer consultant who focuses on health and productivity management. "You'll see plan designs that are really starting to get engaged and motivated."

The change is driven by cost.

A study published in April by a group of Duke University researchers showed obese employees had higher rates of workers' compensation claims, more lost work days and costlier medical bills than their trim co-workers.

Frustrated by health insurance costs that were growing more than 10 percent a year, Ohio State University launched a massive wellness program last year with the hope of cutting medical expenses. Organizers hope the initiative, which offers gift certificates and other prizes, will help the school save $30 million over the next five years, program spokeswoman Kim Schuette said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070629/ap_on_...4Uo4zFcjOdv24cA

[JoeMama 0]

Though, it is a personal matter. It's good to see some kind of incentive for people through their work to be doing something about this and carry it onto their homes. We have become a very FAT nation of people of all ages. If it bothers you, do something about it. The power lies within your hands.