The study reviewed health-related data from 10,000 phones/devices of employees in various industries.  The data crunch was compared to a survey asking employees to describe their occupations with health and fitness in mind.

Hutchings writes that the results allowed the researchers to draw the big-picture conclusion that plans weren't designed with occupations in mind. It also allowed them to identify industries and occupations that were most in need of well-designed wellness plans.

Using a grid that ranked industries by need for wellness programming and availability of programs, the study said that employees in the following industries were generally active, happy, and healthy and thus not in dire need of wellness activities to improve their health:

• Agriculture

• Arts and media

• Tourism and hospitality

• Education

Another group included those who could benefit from wellness program to a great degree and had efficient programs available to them:

• Pharmacy

• Chemicals

• Auto

The group most in need of wellness assistance, but with the least access to such programs, included construction, real estate, and professional services.

The study identified nine industries, including oil and gas, electronics, utilities, and telecom, that had wellness programs available but where the plans were not well designed.

The study offered several observations—among them that new hires tended to gain weight, that employees in jobs that pay better and require more education are not necessarily healthier, and that "people-facing" jobs (arts and media, tourism) tend to be held by the healthiest and happiest workers.

The Withings Corporate Wellness 360 Study is worth a read in its entirety and might well be the start of a new prism through which wellness programs are designed.