This document discusses obesity in America and workplace wellness strategies. Some key points: - 1/3 of Americans are obese, costing $13 billion annually in higher healthcare costs for employers. - Employers and employees both have a role to play in addressing obesity through workplace wellness programs. - Case studies show that reversing obesity-related conditions through weight loss programs can significantly reduce healthcare premiums and claims costs for employers. - Elements of effective wellness programs include assessing company needs, collecting health data, implementing interventions, and evaluating return on investment over time.

1. Obesity in America
A Growing Epidemic
Workplace Strategies & Solutions
UniqueU Medical Weight Loss & Wellness
Dr. Dan Buchanan, DC and Dr. Jim Lutz, MD
513-984-2700
www.UniqueU.com

2. UniqueU’s
Corporate Wellness Training
-CERTIFIED WELLNESS PROVIDER
-MEMBER OF AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OCCUPATIONAL AND
ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINES, HEALTHY WORKFORCE NOW
PROGRAM.
MEMBER OF THE FOUNDATION FOR WELLNESS
PROFESSIONALS

3. Overview
 1/3 of U.S. population is obese
 2/3 of U.S. population is overweight or obese
 74% Increase over 10 year period
 Costs U.S. companies $13 billion/year
 Employers, and employees, have important roles
in addressing this epidemic

4. Outline
 Obesity: scope of problem
 Contribution to rising healthcare costs
 What is obesity?
 Role in chronic disease, disability
 Workplace strategies and trends
 Return on Investment
 Case Study
 Individual Assessments
 Wellness Programs
 Questions/discussion

5. Obesity on the Map

6. Obesity Has a Hefty Price Tag
 ~$117 billion in 2000 ($61 billion
direct and $56 billion indirect)
 6-10% of U.S. health care spending
 Health costs >30% higher than
normal weight individuals

7. More on the Bottom Line
 Costs companies >$13 billion annually
 More than twice as many sick days
 Disability, workers compensation
 Self esteem, emotional factors affect productivity
 Costs of accommodations, chairs, keyboards

8. Definitions of Obesity
Classification BMI (kg/m2) Comorbidity Risk
Underweight < 18.5 Low*
Normal range 18.5 to 24.9 Average
Overweight 25.0 to 29.9 Increased
Obese class 1 30.0 to 34.9 Moderate
Obese class 2 35.0 to 39.9 Severe
Obese class 3 40.0 Very severe
(Morbidly obese) *risk of other clinical problems increased
Calculate your own BMI: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

9. Apples and Pears
Waist circumference is tied to cardiovascular risk
Tipping Point:
Men: >40 inches
Women: >35 inches

10. Obesity Major Player in
Many Diseases
 Diabetes  Pregnancy complications
 Coronary artery disease  Gallbladder disease
 Peripheral artery disease  GERD
 Stroke  Skin infections
 Urinary incontinence
 Hypertension
 Depression
 Hyperlipidemia
 Eating disorders
 Arthritis  Social stigma
 Obstructive sleep apnea  Cancers: breast, endometrial,
 Pulmonary disease colon, prostate, gallbladder,
 PCOS/infertility kidney, esophagus…
 Dysmenorrhea  Increase in all causes mortality

11. 7 preventable & reversible
conditions with weight-loss
 Hypertension
 Dyslipidemia
 Type II Diabetes
 Heart Disease
 Sleep Apnea
 Certain Cancers
 Metabolic Syndrome

12. Why Workplace Solutions?
 Workplace can be part of the problem
 Employees willing to pay for it
 An ideal opportunity for social reinforcement

13. Workplace involvement pays
off
 Wellness programs with onsite or online wellness
coaches are effective
 Incentives
 Ongoing reminders through
newsletters, posters, speakers
 Weight management support groups

14. The Hard Return on Employee Wellness Programs?
(Berry, Mirabito, Baun)
 “Employee wellness programs have often been
viewed as a nice extra, not a strategic
imperative. But the data show otherwise. The
ROI on comprehensive, well-run employee
wellness programs can be 6 to 1”.

15. The Hard Return on Employee Wellness Programs?
(Berry, Mirabito, Baun)
 Our extensive research on workplace wellness has led
us to arrive at this definition of it: an
organized, employer-sponsored program that is
designed to support employees (and, sometimes, their
families) as they adopt and sustain behaviors that
reduce health risks, improve quality of life, enhance
personal effectiveness, and benefit the organizations
bottom line.

16. Case Study
 Health costs >30% higher than normal weight
individuals
• Brennan Scanlon, Scanlon & Associates
Employee Benefits Broker
• Develop a Case Study, using past patient data
from UniqueU, wherein obesity related
conditions were actually reversed. What
difference would that make to a companies
health care premiums & claims costs?

17. Case Study Census
• Brennan took a random sample from 32 Unique
U patients grouping them together by
professional class
• Approximately 7 of them had one of more of the
conditions that can be reversed with weight loss.
• UniqueU reduced their BMI to a level that can
reverse these conditions
• Brennan then proposed before & after scenario’s
to medical carrier underwriters of this group

18. Case Study 1
1600
1400
1200
1000 With
800 Conditions
600 Without
Conditions
400
200
0
EE EE+S EE+C FAM
$457.24 $1,005.01 $771.82 $1,411.50 22%
$374.79 $823.78 $632.64 $1,156.97

19. Case Study 1- Additional
premiums due to conditions
Employee Employee/Spouse Employee/Children FAM
Bi Weekly $41.23 na $69.59 $127.27
Monthly $82.45 na $139.18 $254.53
Annually $989.40 na $1,670.16 $3,054.36
Total additional premium annually-company
• $46,401.48

20. Case Study 2
1800
1600
1400
1200
With
1000
Conditions
800
Without
600 Conditions
400
200
0
EE EE+S EE+C FAM
$507.74 $1,017.02 $964.17 $1,624.76
$338.49 $744.68 $643.14 $1,083.17 49%

21. Case Study 2- Additional
premiums due to conditions
Employee Employee/Spouse Employee/Children FAM
• Bi Weekly $84.87 na $160.75 $271
• Monthly $169.25 na $321.57 $541.59
• Annually $2,031 na $3,858.84 $6,499.08
• Total additional premium annually-company
• $97,485.24

22. Claims: Including
deductible, coinsurance &
copays
• Office Visits • Hypertension
• Specialist Visits • Dyslipidemia
• Emergency Visits • Type II Diabetes
• Diagnostic Testing • Heart Disease
• Inpatient Services • Sleep Apnea
• Outpatient Services • Certain Cancers
• Medical Devices • Metabolic
• Medicines Syndrome
• Labs

23. Related Medicines
• Benicar • Plavix
• Coreg • Ramipil
• Synthroid • Glimpiride
• Zoloft • Synthroid
• Wellbutrin • Metformin
• Meloxicam • Meloxicam
• C Pap • Tricor
• Insulin • Lipitor

24. Premiums + Claims
• Case Study 1
• $80,427
• Case Study 2
• $131,511

25. Large Group Scenario Estimates
• 128 Employee Company
• $321,708 to $526,044
• 258 Employee Company
• $643,614 to $1,052,088

26. What can reducing Body
Mass Index (BMI) mean
for probability of
Chronic Disease?

28. Wellness Tax Credits
& Grants
IRS Publication 502
Deductible Medical Expenses may include but are not limited to:
Payments to participate in a weight loss program for a specific
disease or diseases, including obesity, diagnosed by a
physician.

29. Blueprint for Health
The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine has
developed a software program that is statistical driven to determine total
cost impact from health related conditions from over 2 million employers
in the United States. Some criteria measured include:
-Absenteeism / Presenteeism
-Chronic Health Related Conditions (Physical and Psychological)
-Productivity

30. Elements of a Well Designed
Wellness Program:
-INDIVIDUAL COMPANY ASSESSMENT AND NEEDS.
-DATA COLLECTION FOR STATISTICAL ANALYSIS.
-OPERATIONAL PLAN, BASED ON INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.
-INTERVENTION.
-PERIODIC EVALUATION AND REFINEMENTS, BASED ON
STATISTICS AND MEASURING RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

31. Questions?

32. Conclusion
Take action and contact our practice
for a complementary Wellness Consultation for your
company.
UniqueU Medical Weight Loss & Wellness
Dr. Dan Buchanan, DC and Dr. Jim Lutz, MD
513-984-2700 / www.UniqueU.com