Employers
Tip Scales of Weight Loss Success
AAOHN Survey Reveals Workplace could be Optimum Setting for
Battling the Bulge
ATLANTA, July 16 /PRNewswire/ -- While obesity remains a serious
health condition affecting millions of Americans and costing U.S.
businesses $13 billion annually in health care costs and
productivity(1), a recent study commissioned by the American
Association of Occupational Health Nurses Inc. (AAOHN) sheds new
light on ways businesses can help employees shed pounds.
According to the survey, workplace weight-management programs play
a tremendous role in helping employees achieve weight loss. In
fact, nearly half of all respondents who claimed to participate in
workplace weight- management programs reported success in reaching
and maintaining their long- term goals.
"AAOHN's study found that only 2 percent of the working
population claims to have participated in an employer-sponsored
weight-management program. However, of those who have
participated, nearly 50 percent reached and maintained their
weight-loss goals," said AAOHN President Susan A. Randolph.
"These findings are significant, indicating the value of
workplace weight- management programs, and representing a call to
action for more businesses to provide employees with the types of
onsite wellness programs that speak directly to obesity, and for
more employees to take advantage of these programs."
The AAOHN survey was designed to explore public participation in
employer- sponsored weight-management programs. Respondents
were asked about their level of participation in these programs,
the types of programs that were offered at their workplace,
whether or not they actually achieved and maintained their
weight-loss goals, and the factors they attributed to their
success. The key findings from those questions follow.
Factors for Success
Respondents stated that there were a number of reasons for their
workplace weight-loss success, all of which seem to be directly
tied to motivators found within a work environment. Some of
the factors included:
* Built in support groups - Created through peer/co-worker
motivation
* Trained professional guidance - Onsite professionals such as
occupational and environmental health nurses that implement and
provide
guidance during the program
* Convenience - Accessibility of onsite exercise classes,
dieticians,
healthier food in cafeterias and workout facilities.
* Encouragement - Employer incentives and encouragement by other
employees to help them reach their weight goals
Types of Programs
Respondents cited numerous weight management programs offered by
employers, however, the activities used most often by employees,
include:
* On-site visits by trained health and wellness professionals
(38%)
* Gym memberships (23%)
* Educational opportunities, such as a health series or seminar
(16%)
* Diets with outlined goals (14%)
* On-site exercise classes (13%)
AAOHN Tips for Implementing Workplace Weight-Management Programs
In response to findings such as those outlined in the AAOHN survey
and the overarching prevalence of obesity among the U.S.
workforce, AAOHN offers the following guidelines to help companies
develop and implement workplace weight- management programs.
* Management involvement is a must - management support
contributes to
the success of the program. Management should promote the
program at
meetings and take an interest in success and outcomes. This
will
indicate
that management is directly interested in employee
health.
* Recruit employees - Getting employees involved at the very
beginning is
crucial to making the program successful. Setting up a
committee and
having representation from a diverse group of individuals is key
(diverse: fit employees, overweight employees and obese
employees).
* Promote often - Promote the programs as often as possible.
Visibility
and repeated communications help ensure consistent participation.
* Enlist trained professionals - Enlisting a trained health and
wellness
professional, like an occupational and environmental health nurse
or
health consultant, to help implement and lead the program. This
brings
credibility to the program and helps to ensure that all employees
are
participating in a healthy manner.
* Encourage a team atmosphere - Encourage employees to participate
in the
programs together and to check in on each other's progress to help
with
overall encouragement and support.
* Share successes - Nothing motivates employees like seeing
results.
Proving the program works keeps employees and management excited
and
participation levels high.
About the Survey
At the request of the American Association of Occupational Health
Nurses Inc. (AAOHN), International Communications Research (ICR)
was commissioned to conduct a study to explore participation in
and perception of employer sponsored weight-management programs
among the working population. The study included 10,000 telephone
interviews among full-time employees ages 18 years and older. The
margin of error is plus or minus 6.01 percent. For more
information about AAOHN's workplace weight-management study, call
(800) 241-8014 x0 or visit http://www.aaohn.org .
Established in 1942, AAOHN is a 10,000 member professional
association dedicated to advancing the health, safety and
productivity of domestic and global workforces by providing
education, research, public policy and practice resources for
occupational and environmental health nurses. These professionals
are the largest group of health care providers serving the
worksite.
(1) The National Business Group on Health ( http://www.wbgh.com )
SOURCE American Association of Occupational Health Nurses
Inc.|
CO: American Association of Occupational Health Nurses Inc.;
International Communications
Research; ICR
ST: Georgia
SU: SVY WOM
Web site: http://www.aaohn.org
http://www.prnewswire.com
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