Obesity Price Tag High for Businesses

American businesses are shelling out $45 billion annually as a result of health and absenteeism costs for obese employees. According to research by the Conference Board, the costs related to obesity have caused a 36 percent increase in expenditures and ranked pricier than smoking or alcohol abuse among employees.

Roughly 9 percent of obese workers qualify for bariatric surgery as a medically necessary procedure. However, the study found no conclusive evidence that private companies who pay for an employee’s surgery will see a difference in their bottom line.

Two in five businesses have initiated the formation of wellness programs, with a quarter more (24%) agreeing to start one this year. If employers choose to implement a wellness or weight-loss initiative, plenty of feedback on the nature of the program, whether incentives will be offered and how personal privacy should be safeguarded should be solicited from employees.

According to the Conference Board, the occurrence of obesity has doubled since the 1970s. Currently, one-third of adults in the country are defined as “obese.”