Posts from — January 2009

Advantages of smoking Cessation Programs

Instances of respiratory diseases, cancer and other illnesses can be decreased through smoking cessation efforts. smoking cessation initiatives can provide huge opportunities for enhanced health.

The American Cancer Society reports that smoking workers cost organizations an average of $1,429 per smoker per year in increased healthcare costs over non-smoking workers. Implementing a smoking cessation program costs an average of $45 per worker per year, saving organizations an average of $1,383 per year for each worker who quits smoking. Additionally, the American Cancer Society reports that smokers are absent from work 50 percent more frequently than nonsmokers. They are also 50 percent more likely to be hospitalized and have 15 percent higher disability rates. smoking decreases onthe- job productivity as well. Employees who take four 10- minute smoking breaks a day work more than a month less per year than workers who don’t take smoke breaks.

Places to start with smoking cessation initiatives:

1.    Create a organization policy prohibiting tobacco use anywhere on the property.
2.    Provide prompts/posters to support no tobacco use policy.
3.    Policy supporting participation in smoking cessation activities during duty time (flex-time).
4.    Provide counseling through an individual, group, or telephone counseling program onsite.
5.    Provide counseling through a healthcare plan sponsored individual, group, or telephone counseling program.
6.    Provide cessation medications through health insurance.

Advantages of Nutrition Programs

Nutrition directly impacts nearly every aspect of physical and mental health. A healthy diet can help protect against such conditions as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, stroke, certain cancers and depression. Obesity, which is among the most common conditions linked to diet, affects a record number of Americans.

The American Journal of Health Promotion estimates the cost of obesity to U.S. organization to exceed $12.5 billion in health care, sick leave, and life and disability insurance. Further, one study reports that obesity raises healthcare costs by 36 percent and medication costs by 77 percent. To offset the health risks of obesity and poor diet, many organizations have committed to helping workers ensure proper nutrition and undertake weight control initiatives.

Popular nutrition initiatives:

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption
1.    Provide healthy eating reminders and prompts to workers via multiple means (i.e. e-mail, posters, payroll stuffers, etc.).
2.    Provide appealing, low-cost fruits and vegetables in vending machines and in the cafeteria.
3.    Provide cookbooks, food preparation, and cooking classes for workers’ families.
4.    Ensure onsite cafeterias follow healthy cooking practices and set nutritional standards for foods served that align with the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
5.    Provide healthy foods at meetings, conferences, and catered events.
6.    Use point-of-decision prompts as a marketing technique to promote healthier choices.
7.    Provide healthy cooking demonstrations that teach skills (i.e. fruit and vegetable selection and preparation).
8.    Provide taste-testing opportunities at the workplace.
9.    Provide worker-led campaigns, demonstrations or programs.
10.    Provide local fruits and vegetables at the workplace (i.e. workplace farmer’s market or community-supported agriculture drop-off point).
11.    Use competitive pricing (price non-nutritious foods in vending machines and cafeterias at higher prices).
12.    Provide protected time and dedicated space away from the work area for breaks and lunch.
13.    Make kitchen equipment available to workers.
14.    Provide an opportunity for onsite gardening if possible.

Sweetened Beverage Consumption
1.    Make water available throughout the day.
2.    Provide appealing, low-cost healthful drink options in vending machines and the cafeteria.
3.    Modify worksite vending contracts to increase the number of healthy options.

4.    Price non-nutritious beverages at a higher cost.
5.    Use point-of-decision prompts to promote healthier choices.

Portion Control
1.    Label foods to show serving size and/or nutritional content.
2.    Provide food models, food scales for weighing and pictures to help workers assess portion size.
3.    Provide appropriate portion sizes at meetings, workplace events and in the cafeteria.

Nutrition initiatives in action

While many organizations address weight management through fitness initiatives, organizations are increasingly focusing on nutrition through separate programming. Recognizing the productivity boost and lowered medical expenditures that come with maintaining a healthy weight, many organizations may help pay for obesity treatments for workers. For example, to improve the health of dangerously obese workers, drug maker Wyeth reportedly pays for stomach-shrinking surgeries that carry price tags of up to $40,000.

A 2003 Society of Human Resource Management study shows that 24 percent of organizations offer weight loss initiatives. In Ohio, Honda offers an onsite, registered dietitian who provides individual or group consultations on weight management. Body fat analysis and body mass index (BMI) measurements are available to workers at any time.

At Grange Insurance’s Columbus headquarters, the cafeteria chef analyzes meals and provides workers basic nutrition information, including Weight Watchers points. Many organizations partner with the American Cancer Society to offer nutrition information through the ”5-ADay” program, which provides organizations free signage and educational materials about the importance of eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. The program also offers a fruit and vegetable ”frequency card” that gives workers a free portion of fruit or vegetables after he or she has purchased a preset number.