An effective way to measure the health of an employee population is to screen individuals for common health risks such as obesity, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. But when is the best time of the year to offer on-site biometric screenings?

Have you ever thought about how important a strong foundation is for your worksite wellness program?

It's like building a house without a solid base — you can put up walls and a roof, but without that foundation, it won't stand strong for long.

Creating a strong foundation is really vital for a successful worksite wellness program. Just like a house needs a solid base, your wellness program also needs some key essentials to thrive. Let’s explore how you can create a strong foundation for a wellness program that really lasts.

Biometric screenings are often one of the first steps in any corporate wellness program. They provide objective data that can be tracked over time and used to deliver more timely and personalized health interventions. And, the higher the participation rate, the more accurate the overall assessment of the employees' health status.

Preventative maintenance is important to keep things such as home appliances, cars and tools in good working order. But what about the most important asset of all – health?

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 26 million people in the U.S. have diabetes. About seven million of these individuals are undiagnosed. The rising prevalence of Type 2 diabetes should not be overlooked by employers: In 2007, diabetes and pre-diabetes cost the U.S. an estimated $218 billion in direct and indirect costs due to higher medical expenses and lost productivity. In addition to increasing risk of glaucoma, stroke, or heart disease, people with diabetes often suffer from acute symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, and infections. No matter how large or small your workforce, your company will be increasingly affected by diabetes.

The first step: People should get screened. Screenings for employees are a good investment, a fight against a costly illness.

TotalWellness offers on-site health screenings that include blood glucose and A1C tests, which can help identify diabetes among your employees. An A1C test helps participants understand how well blood sugar has been controlled over a period of time. Blood sugar values fluctuate over the course of a day or week, so an A1C gives them a picture of the average blood sugar over the past three months.

February is American Heart Month, a time to raise awareness about heart disease and educate employees on what they can do to live heart-healthy lives.