Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026
05:10
Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report
Published on: May 30, 2025
The ROI on weight loss at work
1Division of Nutrition, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.
Harvard Business Review
|December 9, 2009
Summary
Workplace weight-loss programs offer significant financial returns for employers by reducing healthcare costs and absenteeism. Investing in employee health initiatives proves to be a mutually beneficial strategy for both employees and businesses.
Area of Science:
- Occupational health
- Health economics
- Behavioral science
Background:
- Employee health and wellness programs are increasingly recognized for their potential impact on corporate finances.
- Obesity and related health issues contribute significantly to healthcare expenditures and lost productivity in the workplace.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the financial return on investment (ROI) of a workplace weight-loss program.
- To assess the impact of such programs on healthcare costs and employee absenteeism.
Main Methods:
- The study focused on a specific employer in Texas implementing a weight-loss intervention.
- Financial data related to healthcare spending and absenteeism rates were analyzed pre- and post-intervention.
Main Results:
- The employer experienced a financial payoff of approximately $2.50 for every dollar invested in the weight-loss program.
- Key drivers of this return included reduced healthcare utilization and decreased absenteeism among participating employees.
Conclusions:
- Workplace weight-loss programs represent a financially sound investment for employers.
- These programs can effectively improve employee health while simultaneously reducing corporate costs.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Obesity
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in adipocytes...
01:21Drug Dosing: Obese Patients
In the United States, obesity is a prominent concern. It is linked to heightened mortality rates due to increased occurrences of conditions such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and diabetes compared to nonobese individuals. A patient is classified as obese if their actual body weight surpasses the ideal or desirable body weight by 20%, based on Metropolitan Life Insurance Company data. Ideal body weights consider average weights and heights for males and females...
01:19Energy Balance
The human body gets energy from the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Energy is released when the chemical bonds in the organic compounds present in the food are broken down. The energy content of food is measured in kilocalories (kcal), defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. This value is determined by measuring the temperature change of the water surrounding a calorimeter after the complete...
01:30Regulation of Food Intake
Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...
01:25Self-Regulation
Self-regulation, also known as self-control, encompasses a range of cognitive and behavioral processes that allow individuals to adjust their internal states and outward actions to align with socially acceptable norms and long-term goals. It plays a fundamental role in adaptive functioning, from resisting impulsive behaviors to persisting through challenging tasks. While its benefits are widely recognized, self-regulation is not limitless. Muraven and Baumeister's theory posits that...
01:19Regulation of Metabolism
Cellular needs and conditions vary from cell to cell and change within individual cells over time. For example, the required enzymes and energetic demands of stomach cells are different from those of fat storage cells, skin cells, blood cells, and nerve cells. Furthermore, a digestive cell works much harder to process and break down nutrients during the time that closely follows a meal compared with many hours after a meal. As these cellular demands and conditions vary, so do the amounts and...