Myth 4: Obesity has little impact on employers.
A friend who struggled with his weight used to comment, “Guess I won’t be a male model, then.” Of course, his weight wasn’t the only reason why he wouldn’t become a male model, and appearance is only one of many effects of being overweight. Excess body weight, even seemingly small amounts, can lead to many immediate and long term physical, psychological, and social ailments. Examples include musculoskeletal problems such as back, joint and muscular pain; chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease; various cancers and psychological issues such as depression, anxiety and a general decreased sense of well-being. Each of these ailments can then in turn decrease productivity, increase healthcare costs, and decrease morale, which then all affect a business’s bottom line, revenues and costs. Studies such as one from Claire Wang and her colleagues at Columbia University have shown that obesity can lead to more missed work days and less productivity while at work. A study by researchers at Duke University tabulated that obesity-related absenteeism and presenteeism cost U.S. employers $73 billion annually. Another study measured that while normal-weight employees cost on average $3,838 per year in health are costs, overweight to morbidly obese employees cost between $4,252 and $8,067. Each additional body mass index (BMI) point above normal weight costs $194-$222 per year per employee.
