Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood. Currently, an estimated 440,000 children live with type 1 diabetes globally. …
Overview
In the past few years, a growing number of studies have documented the
devastating impact of obesity on the health of Americans, in large part
due to the association of obesity with dramatically increasing rates of
Type 2 diabetes and with cardiovascular disease Obesity, in the majority
of cases, is a preventable condition Nonetheless, over the last two
decades the proportion of obese adults doubled and that of obese children
and adolescents, 6 to 19 years of age, tripled Recent data show that
while the prevalence of obesity tends to be disproportionately high in
some racial and ethnic minority communities, this serious health
challenge affects adults and children of all racial and ethnic groups as
well as socioeconomic backgrounds Even more Americans are at risk of
becoming obese, particularly at younger ages
More alarming than the prevalence rates of obesity among Americans is the
compelling research that demonstrates the interrelationship between
obesity and a number of serious and costly chronic health conditions such
as:
Type 2 diabetes
Chronic low back pain and joint deterioration
Cardiovascular diseases
Certain cancers
Respiratory
problems
Depression
Obese children, adolescents and adults are at substantially greater risk
of developing these conditions An obese adult, for example, is at
greater risk for diabetes, and diabetic adults are at increased risk for
heart disease
The Implications for Large Employers
The obesity epidemic poses substantial challenges to the US workforce
Obesity and its related health conditions hurt the health and well being
of the current workforce Additionally, the significant increased
prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents - which large
employers pay for as dependents - forebodes an even greater problem with
obesity that large employers will confront with the future workforce
Obesitys health consequences also present daunting challenges to large
employers by increasing health care costs and making health coverage less
affordable for small and medium employers This is particularly evident
when the indirect and direct costs of obesity are considered in tandem
with the link between obesity and the most expensive, chronic health care
conditions
The National Business Group on Health recognizes the inextricable link
between obesity - a preventable condition -
and myriad serious, chronic
costly health conditions The importance of this problem motivated the
Business Groups Board of Directors to establish the Institute on the
Costs and Health Effects of Obesity in 2003
The Institute Rationale and Core Objectives
The Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity is the first of
its kind, structured specifically for a corporate audience An Institute
Board, consisting of key stakeholders interested in playing a major role
in developing strategies to leverage corporate resources to respond to
the nations obesity epidemic, oversees the Institute Through a
variety of practical initiatives, the Institute:
Serves as a reliable resource for large employers on the health
and cost repercussions of obesity and related chronic conditions
Provides employer tool kits to jumpstart efforts to offer
employees healthy options and information
Proposes innovative solutions that large employers can implement
to control costs related to obesity This includes identifying
effective strategies to decrease the incidence of obesity and
delay the onset or decrease the incidence
of related chronic
conditions in the US workforce
Develops and disseminates clear messages stressing obesitys
preventable nature as well as messages that communicate obesity as
a health and well-being issue
Activities 2003-2006
During its first four years, the Institute on the Costs and Health
Effects of Obesity achieved its initial objectives through a series of
projects and initiatives:
Communications toolkit for employers with employee articles and
other communication materials in a practical, easily reproducible
format
Modeling tool/cost calculator for employers to assess the cost
impact of overweight and obesity in their own workforce
Annual Summits for large employers to share solutions and strategies
as well as develop key messages for senior management, field human
resources personnel and employees
A national Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards program to
recognize employers that apply creative solutions to improving the
health of employees
A series of Issue Briefs on topics related to obesity and its impact
on large employers and the workforce Topics
include: how to
assess ROI for corporate health improvement and prevention programs;
cardiometabolic risk; drug therapy in the medical management of at-
risk overweight and obese individuals; obesity and productivity;
coverage decisions related to bariatric surgery; promoting better
nutrition at work; stress, behavior and obesity; promoting physical
activity at work; and HIPPA and employer-sponsored health
improvement programs
Weigh Your Options: Guide to Starting a Weight Management Program
in Your Company co-branded with Weight Watchers, a practical guide
to help employers launch a healthy weight, healthy lifestyles
program at work
Promoting Healthy Weight Through Healthy Dining at Work, an employer
toolkit co-branded with Sodexho
Lasting Weight Loss: The Top 12 Ways to Keep It Off Toolkit co-
branded with Weight Watchers
A series of Best Practices featuring individual employer programs
from companies such as Johnson Johnson, IBM, Union Pacific, Texas
Instruments, GE, Microsoft, General Mills, Florida Power Light,
and Pitney Bowes
Year Five, 2007-2008
In its
fifth year, the Institute is working on:
The business case for obesity prevention and management for a senior
management audience
Benefit Managers Guide to Bariatric Surgery, in collaboration with
the National Committee for Evidence-Based Benefit Design
Web-based seminars on topics including Promoting Healthy Dining,
Evaluating ROI, and Employer Best Practices
Updated Promoting Healthy Weight Through Healthy Dining at Work, to
include building the business case for healthy dining
Additional Best Practices featuring Best Employers for Healthy
Lifestyles award winning programs
E-newsletters designed to share new materials and re-communicate
existing tools
For Additional Information
For more information on The Institute on the Costs and Health Effects
of Obesity at the National Business Group on Health, please contact
LuAnn Heinen, Director, at 202 669-6356 or
heinen@businessgrouphealthorg
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Source:businessgrouphealth.org
