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The Need for Wellness Elements of a Successful
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The Need for Wellness

Elements of a Successful Wellness Program

Home > Employee Wellness > The Need for Wellness

the need for wellness

As wellness programs mature, more and more data illustrates the economic benefits associated with better health. The United States spends over $2 trillion on health care annually. In light of all the money being spent on care, plan sponsors and other payers want to be sure they are spending their health care dollars wisely. According to the Partnership for Prevention, over 95% of our nation's health care expenditures are committed to diagnosing and treating disease only after it becomes evident. Costs associated with preventable illness make up the largest portion of the nation's health care bill.

Obesity
Many health care experts are pointing to the potential of prevention programs to stem the rising tide of the obesity epidemic. Lack of physical activity and poor nutrition are main reasons for the epidemic. Heredity is also a factor. According to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity is the top health threat in the United States today. Here's why:

The top three causes of death are heart disease, cancer and stroke; obesity is the leading cause of all three

National Center for Health Statistics indicates nearly one-third of Americans are obese and two-thirds are overweight

The director of the Behavioral Medicine Research Center at Baylor College predicts nearly every American (85-95%) will be overweight or obese by 2040.

Forty percent (40%) of adults do not engage in any leisure time physical activity (Department of Health and Human Services)

An American Cancer Society report shows obesity and lack of physical activity causes as many as one-third of cancer cases in the United States

According to the CDC, since the mid-seventies, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased sharply for both adults and children. The prevalence of obesity increased from 15.0% (in the 1976–1980 survey) to 32.9% (in the 2003–2004 survey) for adults aged 20–74 years. There is also an increase in weight among children and teens. For children aged 2–5 years, the prevalence of overweight increased from 5.0% to 13.9%; for those aged 6–11 years, prevalence increased from 6.5% to 18.8%; and for those aged 12–19 years, prevalence increased from 5.0% to 17.4%.

These increasing rates raise concern because of their implications for Americans’ health. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of many diseases and health conditions, including the following:

Hypertension

Dyslipidemia (high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)

Type 2 diabetes

Coronary heart disease

Stroke

Gallbladder disease

Osteoarthritis

Sleep apnea and respiratory problems

Some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)

Although one of the national health objectives for the year 2010 is to reduce the prevalence of obesity among adults to less than 15%, current data by the CDC indicates that the situation is worsening rather than improving.

Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes, once referred to as adult-onset diabetes, no longer occurs almost exclusively in adults. Largely due to poor eating habits and a lack of exercise, a growing number of cases are being reported in children and adolescents. Being overweight, particularly the accumulation of fat around the waist, is the primary risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. Both types of diabetes increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and circulatory disorders resulting in amputations.
Other important information on diabetes includes:

In the United States, there are 20.8 million citizens or 7% of the population with diabetes. Over one million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in people over age 20 each year. (CDC)

Diabetes is one of the top ten leading causes of death listed on U.S. death certificates. Overall, the risk for death among people with diabetes is about twice that of people without diabetes of similar age. (CDC)

The CDC cites many health complications associated with diabetes in the United States:

Heart disease and stroke - Heart disease and stroke account for about 65% of deaths in people with diabetes. Adults with diabetes have heart disease death rates about 2 to 4 times higher than adults without diabetes.

The risk for stroke is 2 to 4 times higher among people with diabetes.

High blood pressure - About 73% of adults with diabetes have blood pressure greater than or equal to 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or use prescription medications for hypertension.

Blindness - Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20 - 74 years.

Kidney disease - Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, accounting for 40% of newly diagnosed cases.

Nervous system disease- About 60% to 70% of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nervous system damage.

Amputations - More than 60% of nontraumatic lower-limb amputations occur in people with diabetes.

Dental disease - Periodontal (gum) disease is more common in people with diabetes. Among young adults, those with diabetes have about twice the risk of those without diabetes.

Complications of pregnancy - Poorly controlled diabetes before conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy can cause major birth defects in 5% to 10% of pregnancies and spontaneous abortions in 15% to 20% of pregnancies

Other complications - Uncontrolled diabetes often leads to biochemical imbalances that can cause acute life-threatening events, such as diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar (nonketotic) coma.

Smoking
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), health concerns usually top the list of reasons people give for quitting smoking. About half of all smokers who continue to smoke will end up dying from a smoking-related illness. Smokers are twice as likely to die from heart attacks as are nonsmokers.

Based on data collected in the late 1990s, the US Centers for Disease Control estimated that adult male smokers lost an average of 13.2 years of life and female smokers lost 14.5 years of life because of smoking. People who stop smoking before age 50 cut their risk of dying in the next 15 years in half compared with those who continue to smoke.

For decades the Surgeon General has reported the health risks associated with smoking. Regardless of age or smoking history, there are advantages to quitting smoking. The Surgeon General concluded:

Quitting smoking has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. Benefits apply to people with and without smoking-related disease.

Former smokers live longer than continuing smokers.

Quitting smoking decreases the risk of lung cancer, other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease.

Women who stop smoking before pregnancy or during the first 3 to 4 months of pregnancy reduce their risk of having a low birth weight baby to that of women who never smoked.

The health benefits of quitting smoking far exceed any risks from the less than 10 pound weight gain or any adverse psychological effects that may follow quitting.

What are the benefits of quitting smoking?

The American Cancer Society cites the following statistics:

20 minutes after quitting: heart rate and blood pressure drop

12 hours after quitting: the carbon monoxide level in the blood drops to normal

2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: circulation improves and lung function increases

1 to 9 months after quitting: coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection

1 year after quitting: excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's

5 years after quitting: stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5 to 15 years after quitting

10 years after quitting: lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker's and the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decrease

15 years after quitting: risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker's

Incentives
The use of incentives can help increase participation in a wellness program. Examples of incentives include discounts on premiums, lower deductibles, and reduced or waived copays for preventive services and health programs. In addition to incentives, clear communication is essential, particularly in light of the sheer volume of information distributed to plan participants. Easy access, via worksite programs and Web-based and telephone information delivery, is also important to maximize participation. Integrating wellness with health care, disability and employee assistance plans, and work/life programs is also beneficial.