Wellness Programs are vital to improving the health of our nations. Most adults spend more of their waking hours at work than anywhere else, making it a excellent venue for promoting healthy habits.

The worksite organizational culture and environment are powerful influences on behavior and this needs to be put to use as a means of assisting workers to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Benefits to Wellness Programs include –  

• Weight reduction

• Improved physical fitness

• Increased stamina

• Lower levels of stress

• Increased wellness, self-image and self-esteem

Businesss can also benefit from Wellness Programs. According to recent research, corporations’ benefits are –

• Enhanced recruitment and retention of healthful workers

• Reduced health care costs

• Reduced rates of disease and injuries

• Decreased employee absenteeism

• Improved staff member relations and morale

• Increased productivity

A USA  Department of Health and Human Services report revealed that at worksites with exercise programs as components of their Wellness Programs have –

• Decreased healthcare costs by 20 to 55%

• Reduced short-term sick leave by six to 32 percent

• Increased productivity by two to 52%

Thanks to modern medicine, life expectancy for Americans has continually increased. How much we enjoy these additional years, nonetheless, depends greatly on how we’ve lived our lives.

If our quality of life is to remain high so that we can fully enjoy these extra years, we must practice good eating habits, be active and refrain from using tobacco products.