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Benefits Pro reports: “Worried about lack of progress on employee obesity? Look to targeted, personalized programs for small groups of employees, coupled with more general nutrition and fitness activities encompassing a broader range of people.”

The piece is based on a report by the Northeast Business Group on Health titled “Tipping the Scales on Weight Control: New Strategies for Employers.”

The report states: “NEBGH’s employer members report that weight control is a significant concern, and most rank it within the top three conditions that need to be addressed through workplace wellness or disease management programs. As new data emerges on linkages between obesity and high cost diseases such as cancer, employers face increasing pressures to implement successful weight control interventions.”

The report notes that some employers don't see the results they desire. Benefits Pro quotes the report: “Many employers do not know how to effectively use their data to stratify populations and appropriately match interventions for specific subgroups.”

The report note “key characteristics of weight control interventions leading to successful employer experiences:”

• “Data Driven: Understanding an employee populations’ prevalence and risk for overweight and obesity can help employers develop a business case often necessary to receive funding and approval for obesity and weight control programs.”
• “Inclusive: The greatest potential savings comes from preventing people from moving up a BMI risk category. Many weight control interventions for managing overweight are also appropriate for reducing risk and maintaining a healthy weight. Ensure that basic interventions like healthy eating options are available to all employees, in addition to targeting sub-groups with additional interventions.”
• “Convenient: Employees are more likely to engage when programs have few barriers to enrollment and participation. Provide employees access to programs where they are: at work, in their community or remotely through mobile health apps.”
• “Personalized: Personalize employee experiences when possible through targeted communication campaigns for specific programs or work with implementing partners who can curate personalized interventions, such as one-on-one health coaching or personal data and goals tracking.”

Further, the report notes “Key recommendations from weight control program experts:”

• “Target and personalize messaging using available data.”
• “Provide programs and messaging that take into consideration a specific population’s cultural norms.”
• “Teach skills to overcome internal and external cues that lead to overeating.”
• “Consider access to medically-supervised weight loss for appropriate population segments.”
• “Don’t wait – design interventions for employees with emerging weight issues to avoid bigger problems in the future.”