If a US employer with 5,000 enrolled employees reduced workforce obesity by 25%, it could save an estimated $8.6 million annually, health plan analysts say. But achieving that goal is easier said than done. Obesity is a complex disease with several contributing factors and no silver bullet, especially when employers are trying to reduce obesity in the workplace while maintaining a supportive culture.
So how can employers best support employees struggling with obesity and weight management? According to psychologists, lasting weight loss depends on a holistic, evidence-based approach. In this article, we outline practical, inclusive steps employers can take to support employees living with obesity through integrated physical and mental health benefits, workplace culture changes, and evidence-based tools.
Obesity is common and associated with several health risks
Today, more than 40% of employees are obese, which means they have a body mass index of 30 or higher. And if trends continue, by 2050 a projected 66% of adults over the age of 25 in most US states will be obese, further increasing the prevalence of obesity in the workplace and its impact on workforce health and productivity.
The potential negative impact on employee health is enormous. Adults with obesity are at risk for several serious health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, stroke, asthma, heart disease, and certain cancers. And the stigma and myths surrounding obesity—e.g., that obesity is caused only by an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise—can fuel depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem in people struggling with obesity, particularly when they don’t feel they have inclusive support from their employer or team.
Obesity is costly, too
The financial cost of obesity is also significant. An employee with obesity can expect to pay $662 more per year in healthcare costs than colleagues without obesity. At a macro level, obesity is expected to drive more than $9 trillion in excess medical expenditures over the next 10 years, according to a 2024 congressional report.
To promote better health and help control healthcare costs, employers and employees are searching for effective weight-management solutions—including strategies that address obesity in the workplace alongside mental health and weight-related stress.
GLP-1 medication isn’t the answer for everyone
But there’s no quick fix. For example, although glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) medications have helped many adults lose up to 20% of their body weight, GLP-1s are also associated with side effects for many users, such as gastrointestinal issues, pancreatitis, bowel obstructions, stomach paralysis, and loss of lean muscle mass. As a result, 2 of 3 people stop taking GLP-1s within the first year. In addition, researchers are concerned about the long-term consequences of taking GLP-1s, including the potential for depression.
For many employees, sustainable weight management also requires support for coping with stress, emotional eating, and other mental health factors that can influence weight over time.
On top of potential side effects, GLP-1s are expensive, costing up to $1,349 per employee per month. In fact, GLP-1s are too expensive for health insurance companies and employers to offer in employee benefit plans, according to research published by the JAMA Health Forum.
A holistic approach to supporting employees with obesity
So, how do employers best support employees with obesity and control costs at the same time? Above all, healthcare industry experts say employers need to recognize that obesity is a complex disease driven by biology, environment, and behavior. As such, obesity requires a comprehensive and integrated approach spanning mental, emotional, physical, and social support—and grounded in inclusive support that reduces weight stigma in the workplace.
Integrated, evidence-based weight-management support from Calm Health
The Calm Health mental wellness platform offers two evidence-based programs that take an integrated approach to supporting employees who are struggling with weight management, including employees living with obesity and related mental health concerns. Developed by clinical psychologists and narrated by renowned mindfulness teacher Mel Mah, the programs use evidence-based research and tools from psychology to, as part of a healthy lifestyle, support healthy weight management over the long term.
An Integrated Approach to Weight Loss
An Integrated Approach to Weight Loss by Thomas Rutledge, PhD, is an eight-episode program that helps employees focus on building habits that stick, like staying active in ways they enjoy, managing stress, and making good-quality sleep a priority—all important components of weight management.
Using a holistic approach that recognizes the whole person, the program supports employees in shifting their mindset, designing a home to support their goals, building a supportive team, and personalizing their weight-loss journey—including how mental health and weight can interact in day-to-day life at work and at home. Listeners also can gain insight into the pros and cons of GLP-1s and bariatric surgery, how these methods work, and how to optimize results should they decide to pursue them.
Create Lasting Weight Loss Using Psychology
Create Lasting Weight Loss Using Psychology is a 10-session program designed to help people think and feel differently about weight loss. Developed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, a licensed psychologist and registered dietitian, the program uses vital know-how from clinical psychology and cognitive behavioral therapy to support people with their weight management goals.
Listeners will learn about the relationship between food and feelings, how thinking differently can help them lose weight, and the role of pleasure and joy in the journey. They’ll walk away with tools for making positive choices every day and helping make weight-loss motivation stick, even when workplace demands and stress make behavior change more challenging. Listeners also will be able to reframe how they think about exercise so it becomes something to embrace rather than dread.
More steps employers can take to better support employees with obesity
Beyond taking an integrated approach, healthcare industry experts recommend that employers consider the following steps to refine their obesity and weight management strategies:
- Understand your employee population
Analyze claims data to gain insight into the prevalence of obesity in your workforce, who is most impacted, and how social determinants of health play a role—including how obesity in the workplace may differ across locations, roles, and demographic groups. - Evaluate access to anti-obesity medications such as GLP-1s
Although medications shouldn’t be the only line of defense, they can play an important role alongside behavioral interventions and other tools to help employees achieve sustainable weight loss, especially when combined with programs that address mental health and weight together. - Revisit your criteria for bariatric surgery
According to the Business Group on Health, due to updated eligibility guidelines, employers should review existing criteria with vendor partners and determine whether changes are needed. - Foster a more supportive workplace culture
Encourage healthy eating by offering nutritious, unprocessed food options; offer access to movement, sleep, and mindfulness programs; and work to minimize workplace stress by creating more flexible work environments and actively working to reduce weight stigma at work so employees feel safe seeking support. - Support employees in adding movement to their daily schedules
Promote movement microbreaks throughout the day. Calm Health offers an extensive library of movement programs that employees can complete in minutes to support both physical health and mental wellbeing.
About Calm Health
Calm Health provides personalized plans with programs developed by psychologists. People can receive personalized recommendations based on mental health screenings which, as part of a healthy lifestyle, may help to cope with physical health conditions, life experiences, and occupation-specific challenges. For employers, Calm Health can complement obesity and weight management strategies by offering digital mental health tools that support employees living with obesity and other chronic conditions.
