Walking Your Way to Lower Healthcare Costs

Obesity costs American employers $225.8 billion annually in lost productivity and over $3,000 in average annual healthcare costs per employee. These numbers are making a significant impact to an employer’s bottom line and they cannot afford to see the costs go any higher. Employers can help combat the obesity epidemic, and therefore improve their bottom line, by offering a workplace wellness program and encouraging their employees to become more physically active.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), walking is the single most effective form of exercise to achieve heart health and it also has the lowest drop-out rate of any type of exercise. Studies show that for every hour of brisk walking, life expectancy may increase by 2 hours even if you don’t start until middle age! AHA has some great opportunities to help employers get started. One is the Start! program, a FREE workplace wellness program that employers can implement in their companies. Start! program tools and resources can be found online at www.startwalkingnow.org. You will find customized walking programs, online tracking tools, and many other great resources such as a grocery list builder and heart healthy recipes that encourage and support a healthy lifestyle.

PHP sponsors the Start! program locally, and provides assistance to PHP employer groups to help them offer and promote these resources to their employees. An AHA representative is also available to any area employer that would like more information, or to begin using the Start! program in their company. Contact Vanessa Lauritsen, AHA, at (260) 494-6530 or Vanessa.lauritsen@heart.org.