EFFECTS OF OBESITY
ON YOUR BOTTOM LINE

DID YOU KNOW?
61% of adults in the U.S. were overweight or obese (BMI > 25) in 1999. 300,000 deaths each year in the U.S. are associated with obesity. The cost of obesity in the U.S. in 2000 was about $117 billion. Individuals with a BMI > 30 have a 50% - 100% increased risk of premature death from all causes, compared to individuals with a healthy weight.

Research has shown that excessive weight can lead to chronic and disabling diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Health insurance expenditures and lost productivity due to absenteeism, diminished morale and even depression have cost American businesses significantly in recent years. Cost-savvy companies offering “wellness” programs are seeing the payoff from their efforts, in fact, The New York Times recently reported that Xerox Corporation saw their savings in medical costs were five times the cost of their wellness programs (New York Times, September 6, 1999).

Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Western Pennsylvania compared the average cost per year of medical care for all H.J. Heinz employees and for Weight Watchers employees, who must maintain a healthy body weight as a condition of employment (this includes Primary Meeting Leaders, Receptionists and Weighers, most of whom have lost weight with Weight Watchers and maintain their weight with the help of the Weight Watchers Maintenance plan).
The study showed that the Weight Watchers staff’s medical claims had an average annual cost of only $748 over 4 years, compared to $1456 for a control group of H.J. Heinz employees over the same period (see chart). The difference is clear: healthier employees means a healthier bottom line!