Obesity costing billions! Get employees involved in Lighten Up 4 Life!
A report from Be Active North Carolina last month has confirmed what many employers already know. Obesity in North Carolina and is costing billions in health care. The cost of obesity from unhealthy eating and inactivity in our state is estimated to be $57 billion a year ($147 billion in the U.S.) and results in a huge number of worker's compensation claims, lost productivity and medical expenses. The report estimates that the cost of obesity in N.C. could jump to $75 billion by 2011. These numbers seem unbelievable, especially since obesity is avoidable. Obese people are those who are 30 or more pounds overweight. Mission's Lighten Up 4 Life is a community-wide weight loss competition to help people throughout western North Carolina increase their overall health and fitness through sustainable weight loss, improved nutrition and exercise. The program will begin again on September 1, 2009 and will consist of three 16-week trimesters. Participants may register for one or all three trimesters which would be a year long commitment to a healthier lifestyle. Now is the perfect time to let your employees know about signing up. Lighten Up 4 Life (LU4L) offers health education to participants about how obesity carries the risk of developing certain chronic diseases and life-threatening conditions, like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke, and how maintaining a healthy body weight can improve their health and reduce the risks of these diseases. The website, LightenUp4Life.com also offers community and online resources to participants to help them achieve success in reaching their goals. Get your employees involved and show that your organization has what it takes to win to become healthier, and to save thousands in healthcare costs!
Beginning September 1, 2009 and through August 20, 2010, organizations and the community at-large are invited to form teams of four people, who will compete for prizes as well as grand prizes to lose the greatest percentage of body weight. Winning teams will be announced at the end of each trimester and yearly. There is no limit to the number of teams you can have from your organization. There is no cost to employers or participants and we encourage employers to designate a coordinator for your teams who can be a cheerleader for your participants. Also new, is the online social networking community, lightenupcommunity.com, which will allow participants to talk with each other, share recipes, form walking and exercise groups and much more!
For more information, visit LightenUp4Life.com or email Maureen Scullin at mscullin@lightenup4life.com.
