“Belt-tightening” has long been a tactic companies have used to improve bottom lines. But helping your employees tighten their belts can have a major impact as well.
Based on recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than a third of adults across the country are obese. This means that a third of your employees are very likely at risk for obesity-related health issues such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.
All of these are among the leading causes of death. They are also among the leading causes of increased healthcare premiums, increased employee absenteeism and decreased productivity.
It only makes sense, then, that helping your employees reduce their waistlines is not only good for their health, but it’s also good for your business.
The first step in that process can often be as easy as addressing the issues of sedentary lifestyle and Western-diet — two primary causes of America’s obesity epidemic.
That’s why it is important that your workplace wellness program not only include exercise, but it should also include a nutrition education program. But it’s not enough just to talk about better nutrition. Take a look at your break room or your cafeteria menu. Are you encouraging a more nutritional lifestyle?
Many businesses are eliminating all or most of the traditional, sugar-based snacks that are commonly found in corporate break rooms. In their place are fruit, juices and other healthier snack options. Cafeteria menus are also being reformatted to offer healthier options.
Of course one of the most important first steps to reducing your employees’ waistlines is screening. This is necessary to determine the level of their risk for heart disease, metabolic syndrome, cholesterol and diabetes. This lets you establish a baseline and set a course of action that will best address the specific issues related to your employees.
At the very least, employees should have a biometric screening that includes a Lipid Panel (cholesterol), glucose (diabetes), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and blood pressure.
More extensive testing can provide information on metabolic processes including general nutritional status, electrolytes, kidney, liver and bone abnormalities.
Then there is the state-of-the-art VAP Cholesterol test that will help identify an employee’s risk for heart disease and, where there is risk, provide additional information for the personal physician to develop a treatment plan.
The bottom line is that half of all benefit costs come from employees with controllable conditions. And perhaps the most controllable of all is obesity.
Helping your employees control their waistlines is a great way to control your bottom line, too.
Copyright ©2012 Star Wellness USA
