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This blog is dedicated to the various ways in which companies and individuals can implement and execute a well-run workplace wellness program — and the benefits, from reduced health costs to improved employee productivity to improved individual lives that can result.

It's also about putting your money where your mouth is — showing how to lead in wellness and not just talking about it.

The American Diabetes Association recognizes Health Champions, and Interactive Health, a sponsor of this blog, has been named one.

Said Cathy Kenworthy, Interactive Health President and CEO: “We are honored that our commitment to the health and well-being of our employees has been recognized by the American Diabetes Association. Our goal is to transform employee health, which benefits our people, their families, and the work we do for our clients and participants. We are committed to helping identify employee health risk at the earliest possible stage for our employees and our clients, and we know that pre-diabetes and diabetes is at the forefront of health issues for every company. As part of that effort, we’re aggressively expanding our services to enable us to identify risks for diabetes and pre-diabetes commensurate with the incident rates estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and the American Medical Association.”

The American Diabetes Association describes what makes Health Champions: “Engaging people in healthy living and encouraging healthful habits is no easy task, but the rewards are great—happy and healthy workforces, memberships and communities that are more productive and connected.”

The post continues: “It's precisely why the American Diabetes Association launched Wellness Lives Here™, an initiative designed to inspire and fuel our nation's healthful habits at work and beyond. As part of that initiative, the Health Champion Designation recognizes companies, organizations and communities that make health and wellness a priority for their employees, members and community groups.”

As for Interactive Health, it states: “To qualify for the Health Champion Designation, a company or organization must meet the healthy living criteria in three areas:”

1. “Nutrition and Weight Management: Five of the 11 criteria options such as offering healthy food choices, promoting nutritional information and providing healthy vending options.
   • Interactive Health offers its employees access to its wellness program at no cost, which includes access to a staff of more than 60 health coaches, many of which specialize in nutrition and weight management. They offer healthy vending machines, educational lunch-and-learns, webinars, steps and activities challenges and more promoted through our wellness program.” 
2. “Physical Activity: Four of the ten criteria options, such as participating in the physical activity events of the American Diabetes Association, facilitating walking or biking to work, encouraging taking the stairs, and others.
   • Interactive Health knows that employees need to get moving to fight type ll diabetes and encourages regular stretch breaks, use of sit/stand desks and walking meetings to keep employees active. Employees are also encouraged to stay active through participation in physical activity-based challenges, local walks/runs, and more.” 
3. “Organizational Well-Being: Having an organizational smoke-free policy and three more of the 11 criteria options, such as having a designated wellness program coordinator, committee or representative for staff/members, and integrating health information into internal communications, among others.
   • Wellness is embedded within the culture at Interactive Health, and is part of “living the mission”. The wellness program is free to company employees and their spouses.From leadership to a wellness committee of champions and peers, the importance of health and well-being is engrained in everyday communication throughout the organization.”