OBJECTIVE We examined the relationship between the type of incentivized wellness program and employee weight loss and the effects of participant income. METHODS We retrospectively examined employees who participated in one of six weight loss wellness programs, which were categorized for the present analysis: reweigh/body mass index, Coaching, and Weight Watchers/Meal Replacement. Those who pa...

Notes The use and promotion of wellness programs, by health insurers and others, has been increasing. The Commonwealth Fund Issue Brief looks at the experience in Germany where participation in such programs almost doubled between 2004 and 2008, reaching one-quarter of the publicly insured population. An evaluation of one large wellness program there found that it reduced costs. Population-leve...

BACKGROUND : Workplace wellness programs have become increasingly popular despite large inconsistencies in the analyses of their ability to produce long-term medical care savings. OBJECTIVE : To clarify the aforesaid situation by estimating potential long-term medical care savings linked to chronic disease. METHODS : We combined data from the Global Burden of Disease Study and Medical Expen...

Employee wellness programs have often been viewed as a nice extra, not a strategic imperative. But the data demonstrate otherwise, according to Berry, of Texas A&M University; Mirabito, of Baylor University; and Baun, of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Their research shows that the ROI on comprehensive, well-run employee wellness programs is impressive, sometimes as high as s...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate wellness program participation before and after retirement. METHODS This retrospective cohort design compares 3 groups of employees: 1998-1999 retirees (N=6065), 1994-1995 retirees (N=5862), and 21,176 employees who were still active as of 2002. Participation was compared over 2 time periods for high-intensity and low-intensity programs. RESULTS Significantly differen...

BACKGROUND US schools employ an estimated 6.7 million workers and are thus an ideal setting for employee wellness programs. This article describes the characteristics of school employee wellness programs in the United States, including state-, district-, and school-level policies and programs. METHODS The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducts the School Health Policies and Progr...