BUSINESS

Corporations try to trim fat by slimming employees

Businesses look to doctors for help in addressing the ever-increasing medical costs of overweight workers.

By Robert Kazel, AMNews staff. Aug. 18, 2003.

A new anti-obesity institute founded by several national corporations is focusing on workplace strategies such as persuading employees to eat salads, rather than junk food, in company cafeterias. But physicians, the alliance says, also will play an important role in the effort to fight fat.

The institute also might try to help insurers make decisions about how to eventually extend benefits to patients for obesity treatments and preventive programs.

Companies such as General Mills, PepsiCo, Ford Motor Co., IBM, Honeywell and Fidelity Investments are planning the initiative, named the Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity.

By educating workers on the dangers of being overweight or obese, employees will be in a better position to make a point of discussing weight issues with their doctors, and perhaps nudge them toward recommending specific measures to shed pounds, said Vincent Kerr, MD, director of health care management at Ford and one of the institute's founding board members.

Physicians too often simply remark that patients are overweight and suggest they go on a diet, Dr. Kerr said.

"That would probably comprise about 80% of what practitioners do," he said. "A smaller number would suggest a weight-loss program or dietitian, or in some cases actually sell weight-loss products out of their office, but that's unusual."

Ford spends about $2.8 billion on health care for more than 600,000 employees, dependents and retirees. It is the third-largest customer of medical services in the nation, after the federal government and General Motors Corp.

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