- 06/23/09: Newsletter
- 05/05/09: Newsletter
- 10/22/08: Newsletter
- Strengthening Your Legs
- Working Out on Empty Stomachs
- Making Cardio Less Painful
- Avoid Crashing
- Coping With Sweets
- Increasing Metabolism
- Organize Your Training
- Eating Habits
- Visceral Belly Fat
- The Best Running Shoe
- Strength or Aerobic Capacity?
- Toning Legs with Cardio
- My Doctor's Scale is Off
- More Reps and their Effects
- 04/24/08: Newsletter
- 1-08-08: Newsletter
- 11-08-07: Newsletter
- 10-03-07: Newsletter
- 8-29-07: Newsletter
- 6-20-07: Weight Loss
- 6-13-07: Back Injury
- 5-08-07: Friendly Pressure
- 4-27-07: Running Routines
- 4-20-07: Cycling Cardio
- 4-10-07: Back Injury
- 4-03-07: Lunges Quads Butt
- 3-27-07: Running Off Fat
- 3-27-07: Runners Diet
- 3-23-07: Eating Late
- 3-13-07: Abs for the Obese
- 3-07-07: Supplements
- 2-21-07: Carbs Weight Gain
- 2-14-07: Accurate Bodyweight
- 2-07-07: Weight Fluctuations
- 1-30-07: Best Oatmeal
- 1-21-07: Winter Cardio
- 1-14-07: Training Children
- 1-10-07: Sick Bay
- 1-03-07: Shin Splints
- 2006: Archives
- 2005: Archives
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05-05-09// Health in the Workplace
Should work be a place to get fit?
Chris:
It seems every where I turn I hear people talk about the difficult economic situation we have in the United States as well as the state of Delaware. I can’t help but wonder what the cost of obesity is to insurance companies, employers, private citizens and the community in general. Don’t you think that attacking the problem of obesity by educating our work force on how to live healthy would save us all money in the long run?
John
John:
I think it would be a great start.
A recent study concluded that obesity caused a 36% increase in healthcare spending throughout the United States in 2008. And believe it or not it was more costly than excessive smoking or drinking. Who would have thought?
I believe one of the main reasons for this is most Americans center their lives around work and have little time to take care of themselves. Long hours, fast food and stress will quickly take a toll ones body as well as their minds.
The good news is many of the health problems that Americans are developing could be avoided simply by making lifestyle changes that incorporate exercise, cardiovascular training and a healthy diet.
With this in mind employers and business owners should take a good look at how promoting a healthy lifestyle for their work force could help save money as well as boost productivity.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out employees that are healthy are generally happier and more productive than those that don’t take care of themselves. They take less sick days, have more energy and are less likely to make disability claims.
As the old saying goes, “An once of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, and helping employees have better quality of life is win, win for everyone.
People need to understand obesity can lead to a host of serious diseases and medical conditions such as diabetes, heart attack, stroke and cancer to name a few. Limiting these conditions would help save money for everyone as well as add valuable years to our lives.
Providing healthy food choices, incentives for getting in shape and company activities will do wonders for building moral and team work by creating an environment that workers feel comfortable in.
Many companies have already begun to implement the above practices and are having great success. I believe in time it will become common place for Americans to spend time and money educating their employees on living healthy lifestyles rather than paying inflated healthcare costs.