According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23.7 percent of United States adults age 20 years and older were obese in 2003–an increase of over 4 percent since 1997. As obesity levels continue to rise, the health implications associated with being obese, such as increased risk of high blood pressure and cholesterol, stroke, coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes and an array of psychological disorders such as depression, eating disorders, distorted body image and low self-esteem, will exact an even greater toll on society.

The cost of obesity to United States businesses for health care, sick leave as well as life and disability insurance is estimated at $12.7 billion, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Health Promotion. Another study in Health Affairs estimated that cost could eventually top $30 billion. As a result, company health insurance premiums jumped an average of 13 percent last year, according to the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation.

Based on the financial implications of increased health-insurance costs, employee absenteeism and decreased employee productivity, many corporations now entirely fund or partially subsidize incentives for employees to achieve better health. Funding or ensuring discounted fitness club memberships for their employees is becoming increasingly common. In fact, The Society for Human Resource Management’s annual survey of employee-benefit managers found that 31 percent subsidize or reimburse gym membership fees–a 35 percent jump from 1999 to 2003.

A great example of businesses turning to preventive health care can be found in Florida’s Tampa Bay area, where large and small companies are providing their employees health and wellness education as well as access to fitness facilities. Tampa Bay-based company, Lifestyle Family Fitness, is an active provider of preventive health care to local businesses. Its Corporate Wellness Program saw a 38 percent increase in its corporate client base during the first quarter of 2004. The increased interest in fitness is a welcome trend for Lifestyle Family Fitness.