The numbers don’t lie: America is getting fatter.
As it stands, approximately one-third of Americans are obese. The even scarier part? If we continue on this path, that statistic will rise to one-half by the year 2030.
This prediction comes from a new report spotlighted online in an obesity-focused edition of The Lancet, and it paints a grim picture of our future and serves as a reminder of why corporate wellness programs are so important.
No, we’re not putting the weight of the world on your shoulders. But in your little corner of the nation, among your staff, your efforts to promote good health habits really do matter.
And you don’t have to have a staff of hundreds to feel like you’re making a difference; just one person can take their new lifestyle habits home with them and out into the world beyond your office, spreading wellness among their friends and family like a (healthy) contagion.
Of course, along with higher rates of obesity comes an increase in the associated health risks including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Not only do these illnesses impact the lives of those struggling with them, but they also place a heavy financial and work-related burden on employers.
So what can be done to reverse the trend?
According to the researchers, every little bit helps. As reported by WebMD, “the researchers calculate that just a 1% reduction in body mass index (BMI) at the population level would prevent as many as 2.4 million cases of diabetes and 1.7 million cases of heart disease and stroke.”
Those are significant numbers and provide ample reason to keep doing what you’re doing to help your employees reach a healthy weight and stay there.
If you’re looking to fortify your current weight-loss-promotion efforts, consider the following: