The National Institute of Health (NIH) has recognized obesity as a disease. 100 billion dollars is spent each year on obesity related diseases. Overweight or obese people are at substantial risk for:

• Hypertension high blood pressure
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Coronary artery disease
• Dyslipidemia – high cholesterol
• Osteoarthritis
• Sleep Apnea
• Respiratory problems
• Endometrial, Breast, Prostate, and Colon Cancer

Dow Chemical has 10,000 employees over 12 different work sites. They are currently implementing a weight management and physical activity program. 60% of their employees are overweight or obese. The company feels they will double the company’s initial investment in the program. The return on investment (ROI) for every dollar spent on wellness programs is $3 – $6.

Example:
One person on Lipitor spends $15 copay per mo. x 12 months = $180. The drug costs $60 per month, with the insurance company paying the $45 difference. $45 x 12 months = $540 x 25 years = $13,500. If 50 employees were to go off Lipitor, it would save the company $675,000 over 25 years. This is just the savings in medicine; it does not account for lower absenteeism and increased productivity!

• 65.4% of Americans are overweight and obese.
• 80% of type 2 diabetes is related to obesity
• 85% of newly diagnosed diabetes is in children who are obese
• 70% of all cardiovascular disease is related to obesity
• Obesity related disease cost lost work days 39.3 million dollars/year
• 1 Obese person spends extra $1034.00 every year in M.D. visits, prescriptions, and procedures
• Obese individuals have 30 to 50% more chronic medical problems than those who smoke or drink heavily.