Wellness programs save big on health costs

Workplace health promotion programs have the potential to reduce average worker health costs by 18 percent—and even more for older workers, according to a report by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

For a study published in the January Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, researchers combined data from two major studies to estimate the possible savings in medical costs from reductions in key health risk factors. The study focused on seven risk factors or medical conditions typically addressed by workplace wellness programs: physical inactivity, low fruit and vegetable intake, smoking, overweight/obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and alcohol abuse.