Employee obesity costs companies $73.1 billion a year
Obesity is a problem that affects American individuals, families and communities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is affecting one of every three adults in the U.S.
Eating too many calories and a lack of physical activity contribute greatly to this epidemic, which is impacting employers where it hurts – their bottom line. Research conducted by Duke University found that obesity among full-time employees is costing employers $73.1 billion a year.
Organizations that create a work environment that supports healthy eating will help employees become healthier and lower their costs. Because most adults spend a large part of their day at work, the workplace is a feasible setting to promote healthy eating. Employees who are in good health are more likely to perform better at work and have improved morale. Raising awareness, providing nutritional education, creating an environment that supports healthy eating, and implementing healthy policies are proven strategies that workplaces can implement to improve the health of their employees.
To encourage healthy eating, a workplace can begin implementing these action items:
1. Offer healthy vending options: Many vending companies offer healthy snack options that can help you stock workplace vending machines. If they do not, requesting this option will send a message that this is a priority for your company. Designating a certain side of the vending machine for healthy options and labeling it will help employees choose these better snack options. As an employer, you can also subsidize healthy options to make them more affordable for employees.
2. Designate a place to eat: Design an area for employees to sit down and eat, and equip it with necessary items such as refrigerators and microwaves. This will encourage employees to leave their desks when eating meals and snacking. It will also allow employees to bring their lunch/snacks containing healthier choices.
3. Establish a healthy catering policy: When planning an event or hosting a meeting that will be catered, simple steps can be taken to make the meal healthier. Add fruits or vegetables, request sauces on the side, eliminate chips, monitor serving sizes, increase whole-grain options, and avoid choices with high fat or high sugar content. Work with your catering vendor to ensure that they have healthy options to offer. Do some research and determine which caterers best meet your healthy eating requirements.
4. Offer healthy beverages: In addition to ensuring there are healthy drink options in the vending machines, make sure water fountains provide clean and cold water throughout your facility. This provides access to drinking water to employees throughout the day.
Additional strategies organizations can consider implementing to support healthy nutrition choices at work include:
1. Launch a healthy eating campaign.
2. Provide information on how to pack a healthy lunch.
3. Provide information on nearby restaurants, highlighting their healthiest menu options.
4. Recognize employees who exhibit healthy eating habits.
5. Provide healthy eating reminders through internal communications, such as posters or e-mails.
6. Provide information resources on healthy portion size and other healthy eating recommendations.
7. If your workplace has a cafeteria, work with your vendor to ensure healthy options are on your menu. Prominently display those options at decision-making points of selection or purchase. Share these options through internal communications.
Here are some ideas for employees interested in eating healthier:
1. Healthy snacking at work: Eating healthy at work is hard especially with vending machines close by, candy dishes on your co-workers desks, and birthday celebrations, to name a few. To avoid this temptation, be prepared with your own healthy snacks to consume instead. Try homemade trail mix, sunflower seeds, kale chips, raisins, avocados, edamame, almonds, string cheese or an apple with peanut butter. If you are going to celebrate birthdays with cakes, try cupcakes for single-serving sizes and add healthy snack options to ward off the temptation to have additional pieces of the sugary dessert.
2. Healthy beverages: WATER. Water meets the body’s fluid needs. Beverages such as sodas, juice, sports drinks, specialty coffee drinks and other sweetened beverages are high in sugar and calories and easily add hundreds of calories to your day’s intake.
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Leslie Knox, ACSM CPT, is owner of KnoxFit Wellness Services and a health and wellness professional in the Upstate area. She is a member of LiveWell Greenville’s At Work committee.
LiveWell Greenville’s At Work committee helps Greenville businesses create and improve their workplace wellness initiatives. You’ll find more information and free resources at livewellgreenville.org.
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