Wellness

The researchers in England followed almost 45,000 adults, one-third of them vegetarians, for an average of 11 1/2 years and accounted for factors such as their age, whether they smoked, alcohol consumption, physical activity, education and socio-economic background.

More U.S. employees have seen the light on workplace wellness initiatives, according to Principal Financial, with 62% now saying they believe the programs are improving their health and a majority saying the benefit helps them work harder and better.

“Too few adults are taking advantage of protection from vaccines, leaving themselves and those around them at greater risk for vaccine-preventable diseases,” says one government health expert.

Doctors are increasingly taking on more patients to compensate for cuts in payments from health insurers, researchers say, and PPACA is expected to increase the volume.

The recommendations released today are the first to help govern the burgeoning field of brain imaging and may increase the use of the practice to improve care for the 5 million Americans affected with Alzheimer’s.

Primary care physicians should screen all females between the ages of 14 and 46 for evidence of domestic abuse, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Workers underestimate what employers spend on their health care, but overestimate their own health status.

In a government-sponsored study this week, America ranks below its high-income, industrialized peers in both longevity and disease prevention, despite spending more per capita on health care than any other nation.

Recent Yale study concludes that fructose, as opposed to glucose, has a minimal effect on telling the brain that it’s full, and may contribute the nation’s obesity epidemic.

Globally, those who are slightly overweight and obese have the lowest risks, according to a new U.S. government report, but critics say the study doesn’t take enough other factors, such as disease or nutrition.

John Lamb on an integrated approach to wellness.

L. L. Bean achieves 4.4 to 1 medical cost return on investment with its health and wellness programs.

Cardiac health expert Dr. Barry Franklin says worksite is ideal for helping people make healthier lifestyle choices

Benefits pros and wellness vendors are joining forces to roll out more wellness tools for employees to access via smartphone.

Columnist Shana Sweeney outlines some of the latest health and wellness gadgets and websites she saw at the Health 2.0 conference.

Most of the 50 states have some statute protecting smokers’ rights or lifestyle choices, and one employment attorney advises that companies be very familiar with the ones applying to them before crafting smoke-free policies.

The authors of a recent medical report say diabetes is leading to increasing rates of vision loss, and they recommend upping efforts to prevent and quickly diagnose diabetes in order to prevent expensive eye treatments.

A recent Health Affairs study that concludes the 10 modifiable health risks only connect to about 20% of health care spending. Thus, says guest blogger Linda K. Riddell, a realistic benefits manager should acknowledge that the most successful wellness program may only have a limited impact.

EBA Contributor Andrew Torelli was shocked to hear health care statistics recently that makes him rethink what the real health care crises in this country are and how to properly address them.

A report published this week claims there’s no such thing as resistance to aspirin, and that expensive prescription blood thinners may be overused.