New Leade Health paper shows lifestyle intervention programs reduce obesity-related costs, raise productivity

Ann Arbor, MI - April 13, 2006 -- Leade Health, Health Coaching pioneers in the areas of weight management, stress management, tobacco cessation, and cardiovascular health, announced today the release of a new white paper, "The Business Case for Weight/Obesity Management Using Health Coaching Interventions." The paper not only addresses the impact of obesity on workplace productivity and medical costs, but focuses on health coaching as a way for employers to combat employees’ weight issues through lifestyle intervention programs.

The research paper can be downloaded at no charge and is available at the following link:
http://www.leadehealth.com/about_whitepaper.html

Key elements of the report cover research on obesity-related diseases and their effects on the business bottom-line, including:

• Medical costs for obese employees are 77 percent higher than for healthy weight employees; obesity-related disabilities cost employers up to $8,720 per claimant a year.
• Obesity is estimated to account for 43% of all health care spending by U.S. businesses on coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis of the knee, and endometrial cancer combined.
• Obese workers have the highest prevalence of work limitations, with 6.9 percent experiencing such limitations compared to three percent among normal weight workers.

Obesity in the workplace is getting more and more recognition and attention.  Employers are concerned not only with the ever-increasing costs and millions of lost work-days associated with obesity, but the rapid and dramatic increase in obesity over the last few years (74% increase in 10 years).  As we continue to shift from a manufacturing economy to a service economy, work environments are becoming more sedentary every year. 

"Obesity is a growing epidemic in American society, but employers can turn the tide of rising health care costs with lifestyle intervention programs such as health coaching," explains Michael Mulvihill, President and CEO of Leade Health. "Studies have found that even modest weight loss or weight stabilization with an increase in physical activity can translate into significant health and economic benefits."

The paper suggests that overweight patients in well-designed programs can achieve a weight loss of as much as 10% of baseline weight. Lifestyle management programs that include physical activity, healthy eating, and good nutrition can also significantly help prevent costly conditions such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Conservative ROI estimates show that for every dollar spent on intervention programs, between $4.56 and $4.73 can be saved through restored productivity and medical savings.

At Leade Health, nearly 10,000 people have participated in iCanChange™, the firm’s health coaching program for weight management. Of those, 89 percent have achieved weight loss or weight stabilization after one year.

"By taking action now," Mulvihill adds, "employers can not only reverse the productivity decline but rein in health care costs and even save lives."

To learn more about Leade Health and their health coaching services, please visit www.leadehealth.com.

About Leade Health

Founded in 1990, based in Ann Arbor Michigan, Leade Health specializes in Health Coaching in the areas of Weight Management, Stress Management Tobacco Cessation, and Cardiovascular Health.  Leade Health has earned a reputation for partnership integrity, product innovation and program impact.  Leade Health‘s success rates from its signature Health Coaching model achieve outcome results that exceed national norms.

For more information on Leade Health visit www.leadehealth.com.