Childhood obesity in the United States has nearly tripled over the past 30 years. And a large group of employers aren't gonna take it anymore.
The National Business Group on Health, a nonprofit association of large employers, is urging employers to take the lead against the growing problem of overweight and obese children. "Child obesity is impacting employers today and will into the future as these children become the workforce of tomorrow," says Helen Darling, president and CEO of the National Business Group on Health, whose members include 329 large U.S. employers.
The United States currently has the highest percent of overweight youth in its history, resulting in increased health risks, higher health care costs and even decreased parental productivity at work. Statistics show parents have an enormous impact on the childhood obesity epidemic: A child under the age of 5 is at least 3 times more likely to become obese is one parent is obese, and the chances skyrocket if both parents are obese.
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"The good news is that employers can play a critical role in fighting the childhood obesity epidemic by helping families develop healthy lifestyles at work and in the home," Darling says. "In fact, a number of forward thinking companies are already leading the charge."
Indeed, a recent survey of 83 of the nation's largest companies conducted by the National Business Group on Health shows employers are putting programs in place to help fight the epidemic. One third of them offer online weight management tools to children and 28 percent of employers offer telephonic or online coaching for weight management to children.
Beyond promoting healthy lifestyles in the home, the Business Group says employers will soon face a growing demand for obesity treatment in children.
"With the new guidelines for screening under The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, many more children nationally will be identified as overweight or obese," LuAnn Heinen, director of the National Business Group on Health's Institute on Innovation in Workforce Wellbeing. "Employers can provide tools and resources to support and empower employees and work with health plans and community resources to develop and promote new approaches to childhood obesity prevention and treatment."
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