Kolman’s Komments: Sick of sick days?

Obesity is one of the biggest drivers of preventable chronic diseases and healthcare expenses in the U.S.

Overweightness is also very costly. Estimates for costs associated with this disease range from $147 billion to nearly $210 billion per year.

What’s more, obesity is associated with job absenteeism – costing more than $4.3 billion annually, as determined one study. Other studies have found that obese workers have lower productivity while at work.

The Campaign to End Obesity reports that:

- Full-time workers in the U.S. who are overweight or obese and have other chronic health conditions miss an estimated 450 million additional days of work each year compared with healthy workers, resulting in an estimated cost of more than $153 billion in lost productivity annually.

- Medical expenses for obese employees are 42 percent higher than for a person with a healthy weight.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that healthier diets could prevent at least $71 billion per year in medical costs, lost productivity and lost lives.

Might be time to put low-cal snacks, vegetables, fruits and nuts in the break room.