Benefits managers’ attitudes on obesity influences employee access to care

Recognizing obesity as a chronic disease and not a personal responsibility is a critical first step to ensuring that employees can access the full scope of evidence-based obesity care options, a recent study from the University of Pennsylvania found.

“Obesity has been recognized as a chronic, treatable disease for over a decade,” researchers said. “Many employers and insurers are beginning to provide obesity care, just as care is provided for other chronic illnesses. Just less than half of employers currently cover or are considering covering the latest generation of anti-obesity medications. Thirty-one state employee health plans currently cover these medicines. This is positive momentum, and we need to see more progress from employers.”

Providing employee access to obesity care has implications for economics and equity as well as health:

• Obesity and excess weight were estimated to have cost U.S. businesses and employees $425.5 billion in 2023.
• Obesity increased health-related employee absences and employer disability costs by $134 million while reducing economic activity by $1.3 billion in 2022.
• Obesity affects 1 in 3 American women and disproportionately affects women of color, with 57% of Black women and 43% of Hispanic women living with obesity.
• Weight bias takes a toll on many in the workplace, particularly women. Women with obesity earn as much as 9% less than women not affected by obesity and are less likely to be promoted at work.

Improving coverage for the full range of obesity care options involves not only reforming attitudes to support the recognition of obesity as a chronic disease but also tailored action by benefits managers and employers to ensure access to care. They play a critical role in supporting employees living with obesity through coverage and benefits offerings. Those who attribute obesity to biological and environmental factors instead of personal responsibility are more likely to support coverage of weight-loss medications, intensive behavioral therapy and bariatric surgery, the study found.

Related: Workplace obesity: A $1.72T epidemic demanding a smarter benefits strategy

Based on the results, researchers recommend building a culture of health and wellbeing in the workplace, including recognizing obesity as a highly prevalent chronic disease; acknowledging the negative impacts of weight-based stigma and bias; and strategically designing benefits to promote access to high-quality, evidence-based obesity care.

“Employers are uniquely positioned to help address the physical, social and economic impacts of obesity,” the report said. “By joining the medical community in recognizing obesity as the chronic disease that it is and designing benefits accordingly, employers have an opportunity to improve employee health, wellbeing, inclusivity and productivity.”