submitted by: Marie Traynor RD, MSc, Leeds Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
Is there a business case for a healthy eating environment at work?
The Ontario Dietitians in Public Health (ODPH) remind us that Canadian adults can spend at least 60% of their waking hours at work and will eat at least one meal there. This makes the workplace an excellent setting to promote healthy eating. In both the private and public sectors knowing that “general workplace wellness programs have shown a return on investment of $3.27 for every dollar spent” is good news.
Without attention to employee health, costs due to absenteeism, injury, disability, insurance premiums, prescription drug costs, medical costs, workers compensation costs, early retirement and automobile collisions can soar.
ODPH reports that “Workplace costs due to nutrition-related chronic health conditions can range from as low as a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars per employee per year.”
By creating a culture of health, any workplace small or large, for profit or non-profit, can expect to have higher rates of productivity, which is good for the bottom line. For more information visit the Healthy Eating section at Healthunit.org; follow us on Twitter and Facebook ,or call 1-800-660-5853
