Myth 1: Obesity does not exist in your workplace or population.

With obesity so prevalent worldwide, few businesses are “exempt.” The obesity epidemic now involves nearly every country, income level, race, ethnicity and age group. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), worldwide, in 2014, almost 40% of adults (aged 18 years and over) were overweight, and 13% were obese with obesity rates more than doubling since 1980. Obesity rates among children have been increasing and become a major concern for parents around the world. As businesses continue to expand globally, even if your particular office has somehow managed to “avoid” the epidemic, chances are that your suppliers, subsidiaries, or other offices are affected. Of course, hiring only slim individuals is neither viable nor wise. Even when not considering the legal ramifications of weight discrimination, such a practice could hurt your business by causing you to miss many talented and well-qualified individuals. Plus, a thin hire can gain weight. Which brings us to the next myth…
 

Myth 2: Obesity is simply the result of and a sign of an individual employee’s choices.

Since getting to know a person takes time and effort, it can be a tempting to use physical appearance as a shortcut to judge a person’s personality, work ethic and behaviors. One stereotype is that those who are overweight lack self-control or are lazy. “Just tell people who are overweight to stop eating so much and exercise more” is a common refrain. Increasing evidence counters this viewpoint. The obesity epidemic likely did not arise because everyone has made a concerted effort to become lazy. Your caloric intake and resulting change in weight depends on what type of food and when you eat in addition to how much you eat. Similarly your caloric expenditure and resulting change in weight depends on the type and timing of your physical activity throughout the day. Moreover, a number of social, environmental, cultural, and financial factors govern your dietary and physical activity behaviors. For example, you tend to eat what is readily available, what others around you are eating, and what you can afford. Many of these factors exist in the workplace, which brings us to a third myth….
 

Myth 3: Employers can do little to affect obesity.

In the movie Die Hard, Bruce Willis once said: “If you're not a part of the solution, you're a part of the problem.” (The rest of the quote included some expletives.) Unless you are currently underemployed, retired, or too young to be employed, you typically will spend at least a third of your time at your workplace. That means your workplace governs a large part of what you eat and drink and how much physical activity you have. For example, you may have heard the saying that “sitting is the new smoking,” highlighting the health dangers of sitting too long. Some employers have tried to install standing desks or other contraptions to address this issue.

And your workplace may influence even your home and social life. Your workplace can affect your commuting, sleep patterns, relationships with family and friends, available food at home, energy to exercise, overall stress levels and many other aspects of your life. Think about how much your time outside work is spent thinking about or potentially complaining about your workplace. Additionally, your workplace could indirectly affect the rest of your family’s weight by determining the type of food and physical activity that you can provide them. No matter how you prioritize work-life balance, your workplace does have an impact on the rest of your life…and in turn obesity. Moreover, if your workplace is contributing to obesity then currently slim individuals could soon become overweight. And employers should take heed when this happens, bringing us to the next myth…
 

Myth 4: Obesity has little impact on employers.

A friend who struggled with his weight used to comment, “Guess I won’t be a male model, then.” Of course, his weight wasn’t the only reason why he wouldn’t become a male model, and appearance is only one of many effects of being overweight. Excess body weight, even seemingly small amounts, can lead to many immediate and long term physical, psychological, and social ailments. Examples include musculoskeletal problems such as back, joint and muscular pain; chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease; various cancers and psychological issues such as depression, anxiety and a general decreased sense of well-being. Each of these ailments can then in turn decrease productivity, increase healthcare costs, and decrease morale, which then all affect a business’s bottom line, revenues and costs. Studies such as one from Claire Wang and her colleagues at Columbia University have shown that obesity can lead to more missed work days and less productivity while at work. A study by researchers at Duke University tabulated that obesity-related absenteeism and presenteeism cost U.S. employers $73 billion annually. Another study measured that while normal-weight employees cost on average $3,838 per year in health are costs, overweight to morbidly obese employees cost between $4,252 and $8,067. Each additional body mass index (BMI) point above normal weight costs $194-$222 per year per employee.