WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - October 21, 2009) - Saying that employers can no longer afford
to ignore the epidemic of childhood obesity, the National Business Group on
Health today announced the launch of "Childhood Obesity: It's Everyone's
Business," a toolkit designed to help U.S. employers address the growing
problem of overweight and obese children.
Studies have shown that the prevalence of childhood obesity in the United
States has nearly tripled over the past 30 years, with nearly one-third of
children now considered either overweight or obese. The United States
currently has the highest percentage of overweight youth in its history.
"There is a great deal at stake for U.S. employers," said Helen Darling,
President of the National Business Group on Health, whose members include
280 large U.S. employers. "An obese teenager has a 70 percent chance of
become an obese adult. And with health care for obesity-related illnesses
costing employers at least $45 billion annually, the price tag of this
childhood epidemic could become unaffordable if we don't change course."
The new toolkit was developed with support from the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, Health Resources Services Administration's
Maternal and Child Health Bureau. It reflects growing employer interest in
childhood obesity and practical solutions to the problem. Toolkit
recommendations for employers intentionally build on the infrastructure and
resources that many large employers already have in place.
"Employers are in a terrific position to be leaders in the battle against
childhood obesity," said LuAnn Heinen, a vice president and director of the
Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity. "That's one of the
primary reasons we developed this toolkit. Our goal is to provide a range
of options -- and employer examples -- that they can easily implement in
their own company."
The toolkit is divided into seven major components including an overview of
childhood obesity and the major ways it impacts businesses. Four core
components illustrate how initiatives employers already have in place may
be expanded or leveraged to promote healthy child weight. These core
components include:
-- Benefit Design: Aligning Stakeholders to Change Behavior
-- Employee Education: Equipping Employees for the Battle
-- Employer-Sponsored Programs and Onsite Facilities: Using What You
Have
-- Community and Philanthropy: Reconsidering Company Contributions
"As overweight and obesity increases among children, employers are clearly
going to be affected in many ways. Childhood obesity will lead to
increased health care utilization and higher costs for employers. Poor
child health will also decrease employee productivity as working parents
often must leave work early and be absent to care for their child.
Schools, child care facilities, communities and families have begun to
respond but more focused efforts are urgently needed. Employers and health
care providers also have roles to play as part of a comprehensive solution.
Clearly, childhood obesity is everyone's business," concluded Heinen.
The toolkit is available free of charge to the public and can be found at
www.businessgrouphealth.org.
About the National Business Group on Health
The National Business Group on Health is the nation's only non-profit,
membership organization of large employers devoted exclusively to finding
innovative and forward-thinking solutions to their most important health
care and related benefits issues. The Business Group identifies and shares
best practices in health benefits, disability, health and productivity,
related paid time off and work/life balance issues. Business Group members
provide health coverage for more than 50 million U.S. workers, retirees and
their families. For more information, visit
www.businessgrouphealth.org.
Contact Information: Contact:
Ed Emerman
609-275-5162
eemerman@eaglepr.com