In France, obesity affected 6.9 million adults in 2012, or 15% of the population, according to theObEpi survey. A proportion that has more than doubled in twenty years. And it is also proven that being overweight increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes or certain cancers.
U.S. businesses save 9% on healthcare
To counter the drop in productivity at work linked to repeated absences resulting from these disorders, French companies should take the example of American companies which practice a policy of weight control and thus save 9% in health care.
Indeed, across the Atlantic, companies invest in sports halls, finance part of the subscriptions, equip employees with connected bracelets to count their steps or call on dieticians … Remember that in the United States, 38% of the population suffers from obesity.
Prevention of obesity: the French professional community still cautious
In France, the world ofbusiness is not quite ready for these programs shot on being overweight. The explanation: first, companies consider the problem of obesity to belong to the private sphere and that these programs could offend a certain number of employees.
Some bosses go so far as to think that overweight is an individual’s business and that in order to overcome it, it should eat less and practicing physical activity … These arguments do not take into account people who suffer from hormonal failure or other disorders that can cause obesity.
Obesity: some French companies are starting to prevent
All French professional circles should not be put in the same basket. Some companies are implementing prevention programs and monitoring the diet of their employees. Others reimburse part of the subscription in sports halls and organize races or walks between employees at lunch break.
According to the IMS Health study for Care Labs, if companies invested € 296 in a prevention program for each employee, they could achieve a productivity gain of 5%. As the effectiveness rate of the individual prevention program is estimated at 25%, this gain is reduced to € 375.
Read also :
– Obesity: 10 years of life less
