Combating Corporate America’s Weighty (And Costly) Issue
Employee obesity has serious financial implications for companies. Here are some sobering statistics on this issue—and offer a promising solution.

By Tom Gilliam, Ph.D.

America’s obesity problem is no secret. And it’s not hard to see why the land of the free has become the land of the overweight. Restaurant portions are immense and dual-income families have little time to prepare healthy meals. Communities are set up to encourage driving rather than walking. Our kids spend more time surfing the Net than romping outside. And while most of us are not happy about the extra pounds that have settled on young and old alike, we seem to have accepted them. But now the fruits of the American lifestyle are hitting us where it really hurts—in the profit sheets of our corporations.

Many people don’t realize the drastic impact that obesity has on the American workplace. It’s a tough problem and one that’s going to get only worse. Recent analysis conducted by Industrial Physical Capability Services indicates that new hire applicants under the age of forty show a greater prevalence of obesity than those older than forty. We are on the verge of an obesity epidemic that could wreak havoc on our corporations if we don’t get a handle on it soon.

The unvarnished truth is that overweight workers become liabilities in corporate America because their healthcare costs make company insurance premiums skyrocket.  Furthermore, they tend to cost companies more money due to absenteeism and presenteeism (the productivity-draining practice of coming to work when you’re not feeling well enough to do so). My solution? Corporations must encourage all employees to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.

I have written a compelling white paper on the need for organizations to adopt corporate weight loss incentive programs. You can view or receive a copy of Solving a Weighty Problem: Companies Can Combat the Rising Costs of Obesity in the Workplace by logging on to www.healthybodyweight.com or by calling 877-316-5097.  Please read on to view some pertinent insights regarding American obesity in the workplace:

• Technological advances have partially led to the increase in worker obesity, due to the simple fact that workers no longer have to endure as much physical labor during the workday. Automation is proving to be a double-edged sword. Yes, it has enhanced profitability, but at the same time, computers, robots, and all kinds of new equipment have taken the “physical” out of work.

• In 2005 the obese worker cost companies an extra $1,432 each year in healthcare costs.

• In 2005, 37 percent of new hire applicants were obese; it is estimated that 45 percent of new hire applicants will be obese in 2010.

• In 2005, 24 percent of children were either overweight or obese; it is estimated that 48 percent of children will be obese in 2010.  Reminder: children are our next generation of workers who will one day be responsible for keeping our economy afloat.

• Being severely overweight increases the chances that a child will suffer physical illness or injury (for obvious reasons) and emotional problems (due in part to low self-esteem and depression/anxiety from being teased and/or ostracized by peers). Not only must your company foot the bill for the inevitable insurance increases associated with obese family policyholders, it also suffers loss of productivity when Mom or Dad has to stay home with sick children.

• Long-term planning is required to control the costs associated with obesity. A six-week wellness program is not the answer. Such flash-in-the-pan efforts will result only in failure. A company must make a rational program designed to combat obesity part of its budget process and ongoing operations plan.

The bottom line? A long-term wellness program—one that reaches out not only to employees but to their spouses, children, and friends—may be the answer for companies struggling with obesity issues. The response to my own Move It. Lose It. Live Healthy.® program has been encouraging.

I’ve received nothing but positive feedback from employees who are using our system. The user response has been tremendous and it speaks volumes about the effectiveness of employee wellness programs. They really do work. When folks are properly motivated and support each other, there can be only success!

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Thomas B. Gilliam, Ph. D., is the founder and president of T. Gilliam & Associates, co-author of the book Move It. Lose It. Live Healthy.: Achieve a Healthier Workplace One Employee at a Time!, creator of the Move It. Lose It. Live Healthy.® wellness program, designed to teach workers how to achieve a healthy body weight, founder of  www.healthybodyweight.com, and founder and owner of Industrial Physical Capability Services, Inc. (IPCS).

Since 1982, Dr. Gilliam has designed and managed many corporate fitness centers ranging from 500 square feet to 34,000 square feet. In addition, Dr. Gilliam has established a variety of wellness programs to deal with such topics as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, physical inactivity, stress, osteoporosis, low back pain, and many more.

Dr. Gilliam is a pioneer and acknowledged expert in the field of dynamic strength testing for industry based on the sports medicine model. Since 1982, Dr. Gilliam has provided isokinetic physical capability assessments for Fortune 1000 companies through his company Industrial Physical Capability Services, Inc. (www.ipcs-inc.com). Dr. Gilliam’s programs have dramatically reduced workers’ compensation costs and decreased injury incidence and severity rates for major industrial clients. In addition, Dr. Gilliam has been instrumental in identifying and presenting to industry the higher risk for injury and disease caused by obesity in the workplace.

Dr. Gilliam is the creator of the Heart “E” Heart program, which is a healthy lifestyle program for children and their families. Dr. Gilliam was the principal investigator in a National Institutes of Health research study investigating the impact of physical activity and nutritional habits on heart disease risk in young children. This research in the late 1970s resulted in numerous scholarly publications and television and radio interviews throughout the world including NBC’s Today Show and NBC’s Nightly News with their science editor, Robert Basel.