Taking Aim At Wellness and Weight Loss

Wellness is a mostly intangible premise-for which there is a real need. Targeting the issue of wellness in the workplace as a priority is one thing - finding a workable solution is another. The LoneStart Wellness Initiative offers this workable solution as a turnkey, easy to implement strategy through its 63-day Team Esteem Challenge.

We are all concerned, or should be, about the problems of overweight and obesity, the problems those conditions lead to, and the impact they have on each of us as individuals, organizations and as a society. (As an example, based on national statistics, if you're an employer with 100 employees, you're very likely spending around $5,800 a month on medical, prescription, and lost productivity costs due to conditions of overweight and obesity.) Employers, and their employees are looking for solutions. And even small changes make a big difference. The challenge is moving individuals, employees, organizations and communities to wellness. The players are in place and each already has everything they need to be successful, most just don't know it or how to go about it. It comes down to creating an opportunity, making the connections, and learning to make simple, positive choices on a daily basis.

If we don't, the following figures will only get worse.

• One of every seven deaths is attributed to diet and lack of physical activity.
• Approximately 40 percent of deaths in the U.S. are caused by behavior patterns that could be modified. According to the American Cancer Institute, about one-third of cancer deaths in 2006 were related to nutrition, physical inactivity and being overweight or obese-and therefore could have been prevented.
• Almost one-half of all Americans report having a chronic illness-and those illnesses account for 75 percent of our national spending on health care (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation). Furthermore, almost 80 percent of all chronic disease is caused by three preventable health behaviors-physical inactivity, poor nutrition and overeating, and smoking.
• More than 50 percent of corporate profits now go toward health care costs, versus only 7 percent three decades ago. (American Institute for Preventive Medicine)
• Annual medical expenses for employees ranges from $114 for normal-weight individuals to $573 for overweight individuals to $620 for the obese. (American Journal of Health Behavior)
• Workers' Comp claims rise significantly with increases in BMI (body mass index), from $7,500 per 100 workers in the normal BMI range to more than $13,300 per 100 workers in the overweight range; more than $19,000 in the mildly obese category; more than $23,300 for those moderately obese; and more than $51,000 per 100 severely obese workers. The number of lost workdays is almost 13 times higher, medical costs seven times higher and indemnity claims costs 11 times higher among the heaviest employees compared with those of recommended weight. (Archives of Internal Medicine)

By now, we all know health care costs are too high, and we pay too much for too little. And we know too that wellness-related problems require more than a visit to the doctor and making an insurance benefits claim. Making wellness proactive rather than reactive calls for a change in an organization's wellness culture. If it's time for your organization to aim for wellness, the LoneStart Initiative is proven and effective and easier than you might think. If you would like a specific quote or full proposal for your organization please contact us at info@lonestartnow.com, or give us a call at 512-894-3440.