You've heard the statistic over and over again: one-third of Americans can be classified as obese. While the ramifications of this data have been explored in terms of our children and our health care costs, we believe that the impact of this information on the workplace deserves extra attention. As a corporate wellness provider, we've seen first-hand that employers can make a difference in the health and lifestyles of their employees. If companies don't start to make this shift in the public consciousness, every employer in America will find themselves paying an even higher cost for workers with a high BMI. 
This isn't to say that your employees are completely responsible for this health epidemic. The amount of jobs that require physical activity has declined by about 30% since 1960. With so many people working sedentary desk jobs for eight hours a day and eating in front of the television at night, it's not a huge surprise that obesity rates doubled between 1980 and 2000.
What is this costing you? According to a 2010 Duke University study, the annual cost of obesity to employers is $73.1 billion, taking into consideration the decreased productivity, sick days and doctor appointments. You can find out how this cost breaks down in your company with the CDC's Obesity Cost Calculator, which estimates the price you're paying for unhealthy employees based on a few characteristics of your business.
Not only is an unhealthy staff bad for business, but it's bad for the employees themselves. Employers can be a catalyst for change and can do their best to create a culture of health and wellness. Hold biometric screenings to make employees aware of their health and weight and so you can be aware of what your employee population really looks like. You'll be able to use this data to create an environment that's specifically tailored to the wellness needs of your population. For example, we often find that employers ask for a smoking cessation program when they have a relatively small population of smokers; while you can offer some services, it may be a better idea to offer a weight management program or build a small gym in an unused room of the office.
These changes don't have to be expensive or overly time-consuming; even if you're a small company with just a single human resources employee, there are ways you can help make lifestyle changes in your employees. Check out our active design guide for free and low-cost ways to get your employees moving, or take a peek at these suggestions for simple ways to stock a healthy break room.
Although it's true that obese workers cost employers more, nearly 300 million Americans don't get the minimum level of exercise required for good health, and countless more have other unhealthy habits that could be costing you money. Create a culture of health and wellness in your office and your business can benefit in far more ways than one. With the right program and attitude, you can create a place where people take pride in their health, their work and their lives.
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