Canadian HR Reporter

www.hrreporter.com 21 What can employers do? Half of the employers surveyed felt they were an important partner in their employees' efforts to manage weight, but only 19 per cent of employees with obesity agreed with that sentiment. More employers than employees with obesity reported that program non- participation was due to a lack of interest or motivation to lose weight, while half of the employers attributed non-participation by employees to feelings of discomfort. " There's still stigma attached to being overweight, and with it, the associated feelings of blame," says MacKay. "Many people who carr y excess weight may feel guilty, but just like mental health, being overweight isn't necessarily a conscious decision; it's a chronic disease." Almost three-quarters of people with obesity in the study thought weight loss was entirely their responsibility. Lack of participation: Half of the employers surveyed thought the most significant barrier to tackling obesity was cost, followed by a lack of demand from employees, but both Joanna Swan is a senior communications specialist at Cowan Group in Cambridge, Ont. For more information, visit www.cowangroup.ca. "There's a large discrepancy between what employers think employees with obesity want and what these employees want from their employers." Noel MacKay, Cowan Insurance Group groups recognized the obstacle of not feeling comfortable participating in obesity programs. Only one-third of employees said they had used their workplace program. "Employees with obesity won' t participate in a plan unless they see value in it," says MacKay. "There's a large discrepancy between what employers think employees with obesity want in workplace offerings and what these employees want from their employers." Plan design: The ACTION study also sheds light on how to best support employers and benefit plan designs, some of which still do not cover obesity medication. Relatively few employees surveyed reported that their health insurance covered prescription drugs. "If your benefits plan contract still classifies obesity medication as a lifestyle drug, it may not be covered, making it out of reach for some employees," says MacKay. "It may be old-school language, but that's where obesity medications typically fall." Tracking obesity efforts: Measuring body mass index (BMI) is one approach to assessing a person's weight "category" ( u n d e r w e i g h t , h e a l t h y w e i g h t , overweight or ob ese). Em p loyees can use a simple BMI calc ulator like the one found on the Canadian Diabetes Association website www. diabetes.ca to calculate their BMI. Tracking employee efforts can make a positive impact on the wellness of a workforce. "Only 45 per cent of the individuals with obesity reported measuring their wellness efforts, and 58 per cent d i d n' t t ra c k o u t c o m e s o f h e a l t h benefits for weight management," says MacKay. Addressing obesity through wellness The ACTION study reported that people with obesity had the desire and knowledge on how to lose weight, but few reported successes in maintaining weight loss long term. The study also highlighted a communication gap between employers and employees with obesity and the need for employer resources to help raise awareness and promote discussion about obesity and its impact. Helping employees identify if their weight falls into a healthy range is the first step to combatting obesity. Educating employees about the risks associated with obesity and the benefits of maintaining a healthy weight is also a good starting point. Beyond empowering employees with knowledge about weight and risk factors, employers can also offer programs that employees will perceive as having real value and which are more responsive to their needs. " Workplace wellness needs to improve when it comes to obesity in the workplace," says MacKay. "The Conference Board of Canada reports that workplace wellness is a $263-million industr y that isn' t necessarily delivering what people with obesity want and need. Some of the tactics promoted by workplace wellness are off the mark, faddish and possibly dangerous in the long run." The most effective initiatives will be multifaceted and focus on supporting — and not blaming — obese employees. CHRR

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