NATIONAL BUSINESS GROUP ON HEALTH HONORS BEST EMPLOYERS FOR HEALTHY LIFESTYLES - 6/14/06

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NATIONAL BUSINESS GROUP ON HEALTH HONORS BEST EMPLOYERS FOR HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

33 Employers Recognized for Promoting Healthy Workplaces

WASHINGTON (June 14, 2006) – The National Business Group on Health, a national non-profit organization, today honored nearly three dozen U.S. employers for their innovative efforts to battle obesity and promote a healthy work environment for their employees. The second annual Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards were presented today at the Leadership Summit sponsored by the Business Group’s Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity.

“The 33 employers we are honoring this year recognize that having a healthy workforce not only benefits their workers but also their bottom line,” said Helen Darling, President of the Business Group. “The key to reducing obesity and encouraging workers to live healthier lifestyles is providing them with meaningful fitness and lifestyle improvement programs. Each of the winning employers has demonstrated their ongoing commitment to the health and well-being of their workers and families.”

Now in its second year, the Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards acknowledge and reward those employers that have responded to the urgent need to improve their workers’ health, productivity and quality of life. The underlying goal of the program is to serve as a catalyst to encourage all employers to take action. Among the employers honored included those who use marketing approaches and offer incentives to increase employee participation, and improve the work environment by offering onsite fitness centers and weight management programs, designing walking routes and changing cafeterias and vending machines to promote healthy eating habits.

“Obesity and overweight employees cost U.S. employers more than $13 billion annually,” said LuAnn Heinen, director of the Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity, which was launched in 2003 and created the awards program. “More companies are getting serious about improving the health of their workers and the fact that we are recognizing 50 percent more companies this year than last year demonstrates American businesses are taking notice.”

Winners of the Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles awards were honored in one of three categories: Platinum, for established “Healthy Weight, Healthy Lifestyles” programs with measurable success and documented outcomes; Gold, for creating cultural and environmental changes that support employees who are committed to long-term behavior changes; and Silver, for employers who have launched programs or services to promote living a healthier lifestyle.

The winners in each category include:
PLATINUM
Aetna
Baptist Health South Florida
FPL Group
Johnson & Johnson
Medical Mutual of Ohio
Pitney Bowes
Texas Instruments, Inc.
Union Pacific Railroad

GOLD
AstraZeneca
Bath Iron Works, A General Dynamics Company
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
CIGNA
Eastman Chemical Company
GE - Aviation and GE – Transportation
GlaxoSmithKline
Hannaford Brothers
Kellogg Company
Mayo Clinic
Medtronic
Morgan Stanley
Novartis Pharmaceuticals
Raytheon
Texas Health Resources
Washington Mutual

SILVER
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
The Boeing Company
Campbell Soup Company
CVS/pharmacy
Fiserv, Inc.
General Mills
Massachusetts General Hospital
Quest Diagnostics
Target Corporation

“As a nation, we have to use every opportunity to promote health, physical activity and well being,” said Darling. “We are spending more than $2 trillion dollars on health care annually and those costs will continue to accelerate if we don't change the way the American people take care of themselves with the right kind of eating and vigorous physical activity."

A complete list of the winners and a brief description of their programs is available at www.businessgrouphealth.org.

About the National Business Group on Health
The National Business Group on Health, representing 245 mostly large employers, is the nation’s only non-profit organization devoted exclusively to finding innovative and forward-thinking solutions to large employers’ most important health care and related benefits issues. The Business Group identifies and shares best practices in health benefits, disability, health and productivity, related paid time off and work/life balance issues. Business Group members provide health coverage for more than 50 million U.S. workers, retirees and their families. For more information about the Business Group, visit www.businessgrouphealth.org