Personal costs to employees
Excess body weight is linked to high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, depression, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, arthritis and some cancers. It is also linked to high-risk pregnancies.

Financial costs to employers
Healthcare costs for obese workers are about 70 percent higher than for employees of healthy weights. Overweight workers' costs are about 7 percent higher. Just preventing overweight employees from becoming obese can deliver huge savings.

The LiveHealthier Strategy
Our dietitians and trainers do not provide "quick fix" weight loss plans. They design individualized, research-based programs that help workers make small, sustainable changes in eating and activity that add up to weight loss and reduced health risks. Our Web platform helps employees make better food choices, track progress, get group support, and share inspirational stories.

¹ Source: American Journal of Health Promotion

Personal costs to employees
About 25 percent of U.S. adults report little or no regular physical activity and over 60 percent do not get enough exercise to benefit their health. Inactive adults — regardless of weight — face significantly increased risks of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, depression and other chronic conditions.

Financial costs to employers
Research shows that employees who get little or no exercise use $219 more per year in healthcare than even mildly active employees. One key study found that a program of 20 minutes of brisk physical activity just twice per week can save companies $500 in healthcare costs per participating employee. Numerous studies show the greatest benefits happen when inactive individuals become physically active.

The LiveHealthier Solution
Our coaches help inactive employees start and sustain a regular walking program or another easy, pleasurable physical activity. Our Web tools track progress and help workers share tips and support. We can support or implement workplace-based walking or running events. For employees who are already active, our coaches can help them safely increase their fitness levels as much as they'd like. We can also help you derive maximum value from existing workplace-based fitness and activity investments such as exercise facilities or health club discounts.

² Source: Archives of Internal Medicine

Personal costs to employees
Smoking harms nearly every organ in the body and can cause chronic lung disease, coronary heart disease and stroke, as well as cancer of the lungs, larynx, esophagus, mouth, bladder, cervix, pancreas and kidneys. It is estimated to cause almost half a million premature deaths per year. Nearly 70 percent of adult smokers want to quit.

Financial costs to employers
Multiple studies have shown that smoking cessation is one of the most cost-effective methods of reducing healthcare costs. One key study of a large company population showed that smokers had 14 to 20 percent higher healthcare costs than non-smokers. Another report demonstrated that a smoker has an average of $6,000 greater lifetime medical costs than a non-smoker.

The LiveHealthier Solution
Our unlimited 24/7 coaching provides the maximum professional support to employees trying to quit. Our coaches are trained to match the right cessation programs to the right people at the right time. Our Web tools provide group support for those trying to quit, and can support your current smoking cessation programs.

³ Source: American Journal of Health Promotion

Personal costs to employees
The toll of the most widespread chronic diseases — heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes — is enormous. Over 40 million Americans under 65 have one or more types of cardiovascular disease and face surgeries, disabilities, organ damage, and compromised quality of life. Over 18 million Americans have diabetes, and fewer than half control their blood sugar successfully. One-third don't know they have it. Diabetes is a major risk factor for heart disease, and also for kidney disease, blindness and amputations.

Financial costs to employers
An estimated 70 to 80 percent of healthcare costs are spent treating chronic conditions, including heart disease and diabetes. One study found that annual mean payments for claims related to coronary artery disease — the condition responsible for the greatest number of health care claims among 607 conditions studied — were $4,639 per patient, more than double the average payment of $2,230 for all conditions examined. Heart disease is the leading reason for hospital admission nationwide. Another workplace study showed that the average annual costs of healthcare for diabetics was $4,400 more than for non-diabetics.

The LiveHealthier Solution
LiveHealthier's nutrition, exercise, and weight management programs, supported by our multi-disciplinary team of professional coaches, help individuals drive down risk for these chronic conditions. Using our Web communication tools, employees support each other as they make small, sustainable changes that add up to better health.

⁴ Source: Diabetes Care

Personal costs to employees
Every year, cancer claims the lives of more than half a million people. Over one million new cases are diagnosed each year. While survival rates of some cancers are increasing, millions of people live with invasive medical treatments, disabilities, emotional devastation, and disrupted family life that comes with treatment.

Financial costs to employers
One large study of corporate data found that total annual medical costs for employees with cancer were five times higher than for employees without. In addition to these direct costs, cancer is one of the biggest drains on employee productivity, not only for the affected individual but for that person's co-workers.

The LiveHealthier Solution
Screening for four of the most common cancers--breast, prostate, colorectal, and cervical cancers--can detect cancers at their earliest, most treatable stages. Our health coaches tailor a best-practices screening schedule for each employee, and our Web platform creates a calendar with timely reminders to schedule appointments. Our coaches follow up to make sure these appointments are kept. We can support your workplace screening efforts. Our smoking cessation, nutrition, and exercise programs all help lower cancer risk.

⁵ Source: National Cancer Institute