Commentary: Obesity affects one in three Americans and the companies that employ them. It is a serious health risk linked to over 60 conditions including depression, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Recently recognized by the American Heart Association as a disease, obesity accounts for 21% of U.S. medical spending overall, a staggering $190 billion a year.[i]
It can be argued that obesity has the single greatest impact on an employer’s healthcare costs.[ii] Yet, when it comes to managing health across the workforce, obesity is not typically addressed with the same intention and methodology applied to other major risks and diseases.
