A recent
study conducted by the CDC showed that 80% of Americans do not get their
recommended amount of daily physical activity[i]. Another CDC study also indicated that only about
one-third of adults consume the daily recommended amount of fruits and vegetables[ii].
These statistics are disheartening
because physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption can reduce one’s
risk of developing chronic diseases, such as diabetes. The United States Department of Health and
Human Services reports the cost for treating chronic diseases accounts for 75%
of all US medical cost[iii].
What factors
are causing people to not exercise or eat nutritious foods on a regular basis?
Most people indicate not having enough time. This response is validated by the U.S
Department of Labor, which reports an employed American has many demands on
their time, spending an average of 7.7 hours a day at work, 1 hour commuting to
and from work, 2.6 hours on household activities, 2.0 hours providing care to
others, and 8.0 hours sleeping[iv].
Because Americans spend the majority of
their time at work, employers are enacting “worksite wellness” strategies to
incorporate time for physical activity into the workday such as on- and off-site
programs and policies that allow employers to easily engage in health promoting
habits.
Employers
are implementing worksite wellness programs to improve the health of their
workers and reduce their health cost expenditures. These programs may come in
the form of annual employee health screenings, tobacco- free hiring policies or
encouraging employees to sit on exercise balls during meetings. These types of programs
are a win-win for both the employee and the employer. For the employee, there are
rewards of overall improved health and wellness. The employer has a healthier
workforce that will shrink their healthcare expenditure, reduce worker
absenteeism, and increase overall productivity.
The Obama Administration
recognizes the importance of worksite wellness programs. On March 23, 2010
President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law,
ensuring affordable health care access for everyone and safeguarding consumers
from abusive insurance company practices. This Act includes provisions to
encourage employers to implement worksite health and wellness programs with
incentives and tax credits. Beginning on January 1, 2014, employers may reward
employees with up to 30% of the cost of their health insurance plan for
participating in a wellness programs. Those employees enrolled in tobacco
cessation programs have the potential to receive rewards or incentives in an
amount up to 50% off the cost of their health insurance coverage[v].
Conversely, employers can charge higher insurance premiums to individuals who
are not enrolled in a wellness program.
ASHLIN
Management Group, LLC, is leading the Work@Health™ Employer
Training Program, which is an $8 million dollar national initiative that is funded
through the Affordable Care Act and supported by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. The
Work@Health™ initiative will train up to 600 employers and organizations that
support employers across the country on implementing worksite wellness programs
and provide them with technical
assistance through a peer learning network, subject matter experts, and seed
money to support science-based interventions.
Health Promotion
Council (HPC), as a subcontractor on the project, is supporting the project’s “technical
assistance learning community” by connecting employer participants to peer
networking opportunities, workplace health and wellness “Subject Matter
Experts” (SMEs) and community resources for planning and implementing their
programs, strategies and policies. Using online tools and face-to-face
meetings, employers will network with peers to share successes, resolve
challenges and resources. Through
web-based presentations, Q&A sessions and discussion groups, Subject Matter
Experts will guide employer participants in implementing best practices and key
workplace health and wellness strategies. HPC will also train employers
on accessing and leveraging resources from the national to the local level
using online mapping and resource identification tools, such as Community
Commons and SAMHSA.
Workplace health is now in the spotlight for how we can
improve the health of the U.S. population, and therefore, as research shows,
the economy of the nation’s small, medium and large employers. The workplace is
where we spend most of our lives providing the greatest opportunity for promoting
and engaging in healthy behaviors through a supportive and engaging
environment. Health is not a luxury. It is necessary for the future of the
nation.
For more information on HPC or the Work@Health program
please visit the following website: www.hpcpa.org/
[i] CBS News (2013). CDC: 80 Percent of Americans Adults Don’t get
Recommended Exercise .
Available from http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57582759/cdc-80-percent-of-american-adults-dont-get-recommended-exercise/
Recommendations for Fruit and Vegetable Consumption.
Available
from http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2009/r090929.htm
[iii] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009). The Power of
Prevention: Chronic Diseases…the
Public Health
Challenges of the 21st Century. Available from http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/pdf/2009-power-of-prevention.pdf
[iv]United States Department of Labor (2013). American Time Use Survey
Summary. Available from
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/atus.nr0.htm
