Obesity in the Workplace
We now know that obesity is a greater health problem today than drinking or even smoking. Chronic medical problems caused by obesity, results in reduced productivity in the workplace, more sick-days, missed days and increased costs in both prevention and insurances. It is a growing problem with repercussions that has the potential to take some companies by surprise over the next few years. It is an ever-increasing expenditure affecting the bottom line of companies everywhere not the least of which is the construction community.
Let’s look at some of the startling numbers. The number of Americans considered obese by the CDC (Council on Disease Control) in 2011 was 44 million – or approximately one in five. This is a 74 percent increase since 1991. On average one out of every three people you know and work with could be considered obese. The Surgeon General reports that more than 10 percent of the nation’s health care expenditures are directly related to obesity. They calculate that to cost out at about $117 billion annually and relate to 300,000 deaths per year. The health risks associated with obesity include: hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, endocrine problems, gall bladder disease, lung and breathing problems, arthritis and premature death. It may not seem appropriate to worry about construction workers being at rise. After all we are in a very active, hands on, industry where there is little or no sedentary behavior allowed. However, look at the definition(s) of obesity.
- Obese is generally defined as at least 30 to 40 pounds overweight.
- Severely obese is considered to be at least 60 pounds overweight.
- Morbidly obese is at least 100 pounds overweight.
- Super obese is considered at least 200 pounds overweight.
Physicians consider a person to be obese if they weight more than 20% above expected weight for age, height, and body build.
Now, let’s look at the impact of obesity in the workplace.
ü Employees medical expenses increased from $114 for normal-weight individuals to $573 for the overweight – to $620 for the obese (American Journal of Health Behavior)
ü The average absence for a worker who files an obesity-related Short-Term Disability claim is 45 days, (MetLife)
ü Three main conditions related to obesity are diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease cost employers more than $220 billion annually in medical care and lost productivity. (MetLife, American College of Cardiology, & CDC)
ü Individuals who are obese have 30% to 50% more chronic medical problems than those who smoke or drink heavily. (Journal of Health Affairs, March/April 2002)
Unfortunately, if an employer realizes that there is an unsafe/unhealthy situation in their company and tries to identify it or the individuals who are obese, they often are perceived as being discriminatory. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 sates that everyone in the United States has a right to employment free from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Section 7 has been used in weight discrimination cases where weight standards are applied differently to different class (e.g. women and men), and where weight standards have an adverse impact on a protected class. Further, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination against an otherwise qualified individual with handicaps, solely on the basis of that handicap, in any program which receives federal assistance. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) extends the protection against discrimination on the basis of disability to the private sector.
Encouraging a safe and healthy workplace has taken on a broader definition with the obesity issue, as it has become a part of making sure everyone goes home without accident, injury, and healthy at night.
Information Provided by PRWeb.com/ www.aplesforhealth.com/healthybusiness volume 5, number 35, -
