weight loss news

A Healthy Weight Can Boost Your Career!

Mpls., MN May 2, 2003 - It's not just models and actors whose weight can affect their career. According to two studies published with in the past year, excess pounds weigh heavily on employees and employers alike.

A study published in the September 2002 issue of the Journal of Health Economics reported that regardless of a person's career, being obese limited their advancement and salary. On average, obese people earned 2.5% less than did their thinner colleagues performing the same job. For the typical American this amounts to roughly $100,000 less over the life of their career. The wage penalty is more severe for overweight women. They averaged up to 6.2% less pay. Being as little as 30 pounds over weight could hamper a woman's job prospects, whereas men's careers typically were not affected until they were very overweight.

The study used Bureau of Labor Statistics data from annual surveys. Each year the same 12,000 workers reported their height and weight as well as their income, and absentee rates. Further analysis of the statistics revealed weight discrimination rather than higher absenteeism seemed to be the cause of the wage gap.

Another study published in the January-February 2003 issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion found overweight employees have medical bills up to $1,500 greater a year than did their thinner counterparts. Many companies are now looking for ways to inspire workers to change their lifestyles in order to curb rapidly escalating health insurance costs.

This study, conducted by researchers a the University of Michigan Health Management Research Center, looked at 178,000 adults enrolled in the General Motors' health care plan. Plan members include workers, retirees, and family members. Researchers compared medical costs with federal Body Mass Index (BMI) categories ranging from underweight to greatly obese. Medical costs rose as weight did. The average medical cost for those of average weight was $2,225. The lowest category of overweight was slightly more, at $2,388, but costs rose more sharply after that, reaching $3,753 for the most obese people.

Our Response:

For nearly 30 years the OPTIFAST^® Medically Monitored Weight Loss Program has helped people lose weight, improve their health, and lower their risk for weight-related health conditions. The OPTIFAST^® program promotes weight control through behavior change, including healthy eating habits, increased activity, and stress management techniques. Follow-up studies 5 years after treatment show the majority of people who complete an OPTIFAST program are able to keep enough weight off to improve their health long-term. Improve your odds of a healthier life and more career options: click here to find an OPTIFAST Clinic near you.

The government has made it more affordable for people to seek medically supervised weight loss therapy by expanding the IRS weight loss tax deduction. Individuals can claim qualified weight loss therapy expenses as part of their medical expenses deduction, or use Flexible Savings Account (FSA) dollars to offset some of the cost of treatment. Setting up a healthcare FSA fund is one other tool employers can use to encourage employees and their families to get fit.