Worksite wellness programs are a proven strategy to prevent the major risk factors for cardiovascular
disease. These risk factors include smoking, overweight, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol
and diabetes.
Heart disease costs the nation an estimated $304.6 billion annually. An estimated 25�30 percent of
companies� annual medical costs are spent on employees with excess health risk defined in large part by
their risk for cardiovascular disease. Employees also pay the price � with higher contributions to
insurance, higher co-pays and deductibles, reduction or elimination of coverage, and trade-offs of
insurance benefits against wage or salary increases.
With more than 130 million Americans employed across the United States, prevention activities have the
potential to reach a large audience.