Obese employees cost U.S. private employers an estimated $45 billion annually in medical expenditures and productivity losses, according to a report by the Conference Board.
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The authors of the report say that obesity is associated with a 36-percent increase in spending on healthcare services, more than smoking or problem drinking.
The report also finds that more than 40 percent of U.S. companies have implemented obesity-reduction programs, and 24 percent more said they plan to do so in 2008.
The report includes three case studies:
- Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), a large self-insured utility with high BMI and low turnover, targets obesity as a major plank in its multifaceted wellness initiatives.
- H-E-B, a Texas-based retail chain, believes retail's high turnover can make it all the more important to catch employees, from checkout clerks to executives, under the wellness umbrella.
- Aetna Inc. says that adding incentives increased participation in its wellness programs and produced major savings.
More information on the report, Weights & Measures: What Employers Should Know about Obesity, can he found here.