Worksite Solutions and Wellness Programs Felicia Wade MD

Worksite Solutions and Wellness Programs Felicia Wade , MD March 31 st, 2007 UMDNJ Confronting the Challenge of Obesity in Our Communities

Background • An estimated 97 million U. S. adults are overweight or obese • Overweight and obesity increase the risk of hypertension, diabetes, sleepdisordered breathing and cardiovascular mortality • There is a need to address the obesity problem from multiple fronts

Economic Impact • The economic costs of obesity and overweight in the United States approach $117 billion per year. • In response to the rapid rise of healthcare costs it is necessary for organizations to effectively address the rising levels of obesity and diabetes and decreasing productivity

Goals of Health Management Programs • • Lower Health Care Costs Reduced Absenteeism Higher Productivity Reduced Use Of Health Care Benefits Reduced Worker's Comp/Disability Reduced Injuries Increased Morale and Loyalty

Traditional Strategies • Traditional obesity control strategies have focused on health education to change diet and physical activity behaviors • Do not reach large numbers of people • Small proportion able to sustain weight loss on a long-term basis

Environmental Approaches • Policies, programs, or organizational practices to influence behaviors • Increasing the availability of, and providing access to, healthful food choices • Providing facilities for physical activity • Creating a socially supportive environment.

Worksite Solutions • The worksite is an important setting for establishing environmental and policy changes leading to increased physical activity among employees (e. g. , policies related to sleep and fitness, flextime, or fitness-center discounts) and improved dietary intakes of employees (e. g. , through offering healthful food choices, lowering portion sizes and reducing prices of healthful lower calorie foods in cafeterias and vending machines, or providing nutrient and calorie information on foods at the point-of- purchase). • Worksite interventions may also enhance social support from fellow workers to facilitate positive dietary and physical activity behaviors. • Work schedules such as early start times, shift work, long hours and schedules that result in shortened sleep patterns, as well as worksite environmental factors such as lighting and temperature, may contribute to unhealthful eating habits as well as physical inactivity. Support from worksite administration and management, as well as from employees is an important consideration for successful implementation of worksite interventions.

Successful Strategies • Align organizational policies and procedures are with the goal of a healthy and productive worksite including smoking policies, stairwell access, job design, vending machines, flexible working hours • Institute and Health Risk Appraisals (HRAs) completion focusing on health education, quality of life, medical and pharmacy utilization, disability absences, and presenteeism. • Ensure the availability of health advocates or coaches to discuss risk/health /wellness profiles and create goals to maintain or improve current status

Successful Strategies • Create winners in the population through “know your numbers and no weight gain ” programs that give employees the opportunity for realizing early accomplishment • Creating and maintaining a healthy and productive workforce • Paying attention to the health low risk employees and keeping them low risk

Successful Strategies • Provide wellness programs to the total employee population through “know your numbers, no weight gain, 1, 000 step pedometer “ programs • Institute appropriate incentives and measurement steps • Successful health management programs require 80 -95% participation and engagement of the total employee population

Overview • Communities and states measure health outcomes by the number and sustainability of healthy and productive companies within the community or state • Employers rely on measures of energy level, productivity, and creativity of the employees and the moderated medical and pharmacy costs that can be associated with health promotion and wellness programs • Individual employees and their families define health outcomes of employee-targeted health promotion and wellness programs by their level of vitality quality of life and freedom from pain and disease

Conclusion • Clinically and economically effective health management programs demonstrate that each stakeholder is a beneficiary: the employee, the employer, the community, and the state • Communities and states measure health outcomes by the number and sustainability of healthy and productive companies within the community or state • Employers rely on measures of energy level, productivity, and creativity of the employees and the moderated medical and pharmacy costs that can be associated with health promotion and wellness programs • Individual employees and their families define health outcomes of employee-targeted health promotion and wellness programs by their level of vitality quality of life and freedom from pain and disease

References • Dee W. Edington, Ph. D, Who Are the Intended Beneficiaries (Targets) of Employee, December 2006 • Enhancing Obesity Research at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute 2003 • Integrated Wellness Solutions • Heart of the Matter, I Universe April 2006