NBGH recognizes employers for promoting health

WASHINGTON--Forty-one employers were recognized Wednesday by the National Business Group on Health for their ongoing efforts to promote healthy work environments and encourage their employees to live healthier lifestyles.

The third annual "Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles" awards were presented at the Leadership Summit in Washington sponsored by the NBGH's Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity.

This year's winners offer a variety of wellness and lifestyle improvement programs, including onsite fitness centers and health clinics, weight management and tobacco-cessation programs, health coaches, Web-based health and fitness tools, and financial incentives for participating in fitness programs and health risk assessments.

Winners 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 that have launched programs or services to promote living a healthier lifestyle.

Helen Darling, president of the Washington-based consortium of mostly large national employers, said awards program's goal is to encourage all employers to take action to improve their workers' health.

"Wellness and lifestyle improvement programs are rapidly becoming a top priority at many large employers, and with good reason," Ms. Darling said in a statement. "Employers are recognizing that there is a direct link between healthy and engaged workers, high productivity and controlling rising health care costs."

A complete list of this year's winning employers is available on the NBGH Web site at www.businessgrouphealth.org.