Bradenton Herald
Monday, August 11, 2008
By Shari Portnoy
The obesity crisis is on the rise. Large companies, government agencies and school boards bear the brunt by continuing to pay expensive healthcare premiums. According to the American
Journal of Health Promotion, each obese employee costs his or her company 56 percent more for health insurance than each normal weight employee.
Corporate Wellness is the new buzz phrase. Corporate health programs came into vogue when groups contracted by business and health insurance companies began providing annual health fairs. Unfortunately, research has shown that annual health fairs do nothing to improve health. Without ongoing programs, a health fair rates a big fat zero.