Weights & Measures: What Employers Should Know about Obesity

From a skirted and almost taboo topic, obesity now gets more attention in the media—and the boardroom—every day. Employers increasingly recognize a financial imperative, and a social responsibility, to act. This report shines a spotlight on the problem, some solutions, and the potential rewards and risks of taking action.

The report includes three case studies: Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), a large self-insured utility with high BMI and low turnover, targets obesity as a major plank in its multifaceted wellness initiatives. H-E-B, a Texas-based retail chain, believes retail’s high turnover can make it all the more important to catch employees, from checkout clerks to executives, under the wellness umbrella. And Aetna Inc. says that adding incentives increased participation in its wellness programs and produced major savings.