Providing employee access to obesity care has implications for economics and equity as well as health:

Obesity and excess weight were estimated to have cost U.S. businesses and employees $425.5 billion in 2023.
Obesity increased health-related employee absences and employer disability costs by $134 million while reducing economic activity by $1.3 billion in 2022.
Obesity affects 1 in 3 American women and disproportionately affects women of color, with 57% of Black women and 43% of Hispanic women living with obesity.
Weight bias takes a toll on many in the workplace, particularly women. Women with obesity earn as much as 9% less than women not affected by obesity and are less likely to be promoted at work.

Improving coverage for the full range of obesity care options involves not only reforming attitudes to support the recognition of obesity as a chronic disease but also tailored action by benefits managers and employers to ensure access to care. They play a critical role in supporting employees living with obesity through coverage and benefits offerings. Those who attribute obesity to biological and environmental factors instead of personal responsibility are more likely to support coverage of weight-loss medications, intensive behavioral therapy and bariatric surgery, the study found.

Instant Insights /

Benefits managers' attitudes on obesity influences employee access to care

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