Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have argued that we need to find ways to incentivize healthy behaviors to help control health care costs. Some people have argued that you can't do that without curtailing peoples' personal freedoms. I disagree. We are going to have to do soemthing one way or another.
This article shows one possible way to accomplish the goal of lowering costs, instead of just giving everyone a pill for when they have diabetes, heart disease, etc:
Isn't there something sad (if not actually pathetic) about the notion of an employer having to offer incentives to employees to stay healthy? Why aren't they trying to stay healthy on their own?
Isn't there something sad (if not actually pathetic) about the notion of an employer having to offer incentives to employees to stay healthy? Why aren't they trying to stay healthy on their own?
well part of the reason is because they spend 35-50 hours a week sitting in a cubicle and another 10 hours a week sitting in their car. yes, everyone can "fit in" exercise, but the fact is it is hard and a huge part of the reason it is hard is because we spend so much time working.
i look forward to the day when every employer has locker rooms and fitness centers on-site and you can be on the clock while on the treadmill. studies show it increases productivity and decreases health expenditures.
Isn't there something sad (if not actually pathetic) about the notion of an employer having to offer incentives to employees to stay healthy? Why aren't they trying to stay healthy on their own?
Yep;its ther same idea as paying studants to attend classes or not be tardy.
well part of the reason is because they spend 35-50 hours a week sitting in a cubicle and another 10 hours a week sitting in their car. yes, everyone can "fit in" exercise, but the fact is it is hard and a huge part of the reason it is hard is because we spend so much time working.
i look forward to the day when every employer has locker rooms and fitness centers on-site and you can be on the clock while on the treadmill. studies show it increases productivity and decreases health expenditures.
They've started doing that in Norway (some companies), interestingly enough it's primarily the larger companies with 1000+ employees who start programs like this, you'd think they were the ones who had the most to lose, but most who investing it seem to get the money back, with profit, in increased productivity and fewer sick days.
The USAF pays civilian contractors for 3 optional hours of Physical Training a week. My somewhat doughy friend got a job with them a few years ago and is now in great shape and runs marathons for fun.
I would JUMP at any job which included paid time for exercise. That would be a HUGE perk for me. Heck, I'd jump at a job which encouraged me to work 37 hour weeks and take those 3 other hours as exercise time without pay. I'll get my exercise either way, but having that as part of my work schedule would mean fewer skipped workouts.
Isn't there something sad (if not actually pathetic) about the notion of an employer having to offer incentives to employees to stay healthy? Why aren't they trying to stay healthy on their own?
If we go down the road toward guaranteed health care for all, then we have to do something to incentivize good behavior. Paying the doctor directly out of your own pocket used to be that incentive, but it's gone now. I personally wish we would go back to that model, but it's not going to happen unless the system collapses (a distinct possibility). Therefore, we have to find some other way to incentivize good behavior.
well part of the reason is because they spend 35-50 hours a week sitting in a cubicle and another 10 hours a week sitting in their car. yes, everyone can "fit in" exercise, but the fact is it is hard and a huge part of the reason it is hard is because we spend so much time working.
i look forward to the day when every employer has locker rooms and fitness centers on-site and you can be on the clock while on the treadmill. studies show it increases productivity and decreases health expenditures.
Exercise is secondary to bad eating habits. If soda, sweets, chips, high fructose corn syrup, bleached flour, & corn fed beef from feeding lots didn't exist, people would be a lot healthier and weigh less, even if they didn't exercise.
However, I do think part of part of health care reform is redesigning our cities and towns so that they don't require a car for every trip (so that people could walk or bike more). That would not be a quick or easy task, but it would be a smart thing to do for reasons of health, the environment, as well as energy independence. It would also help out a lot of low income people if they could get to their jobs without needing cars.
I took a trip to Germany & Austria last year. They have bike lanes everywhere so it's not a shocker that people actually ride bikes a lot more there and there is less obesity (for that and other reasons)....The cities are somewhat higher density but not super dense...so you can walk to different places instead of drive. Even the small towns have bus service, so a car is not an absolute necessity as it is in most parts of the US.
Isn't there something sad (if not actually pathetic) about the notion of an employer having to offer incentives to employees to stay healthy? Why aren't they trying to stay healthy on their own?
Because unfortunately for every one of us that IS healthy and comes to work regularly, there are 5 others who try to manipulate the system and so, I think that employers have become wise to this and figure they will offer an incentive to keep people "health" because it beats having to pay them sick time and lack of productivity when they aren't there and it has to beat having to fire them, fight unemployment and starting over with a newbie.
I took a trip to Germany & Austria last year. They have bike lanes everywhere so it's not a shocker that people actually ride bikes a lot more there and there is less obesity (for that and other reasons)....The cities are somewhat higher density but not super dense...so you can walk to different places instead of drive. Even the small towns have bus service, so a car is not an absolute necessity as it is in most parts of the US.
I traveled last year to Britain, the Netherlands, and France. I share your observation that Europe is much more friendly to people who walk than America is. Walking (exercise) is one reason there is much less obesity in Europe than in America. Unfortunately, its only reason. I'll give the others:
1. Food is not nearly as cheap or abundant. I was shocked at how much a meal cost no matter where you went in these countries.
2. Fast food outlets like McDonald's and Subway exist, but they are not nearly so common and not nearly as patronized as those in the USA.
3. If something like a Walmart Super Center exists (with grocery shopping) I couldn't find it. The general rule of thumb is you have to buy groceries at a few chains they have that are quite expensive or at mom and pop stores.
4. Gasoline is the equivalent of $7 a gallon in most of these countries. There is a huge incentive to either walk or take public transportation in the cities. If we raised gasoline prices in America to $7 a gallon, people would go nuts.
The politicians in power would all lose their jobs in the next election.
5. Soda pop is not nearly as readily available. There were very few places where one could buy a fountain drink. Where this exists, they haven't heard of unlimited refills either. A can or bottle of soda pop usually cost the equivalent of three American dollars. I doubt there are many people who do things like drink a six pack of soda pop a day. That occurs with disturbing frequency in our country.
6. These countries have universal healthcare. When universal healthcare is adopted, you have to begin to focus more on prevention of disease because everyone is aware of how many tax dollars they are spending on healthcare. You'll find campaigns against obesity in most, if not all, of these countries.
I agree we have some terribly unhealthy behaviors in America. Unfortunately, making the kind of diet and exercise changes that are necessary is going to require a major cultural shift. Attempts to make any of these changes is going to be met with cries of "socialism" or "big brother is out there telling us what to do". I am shocked at the number of school districts who have resisted removing soft drink and candy machines from schools.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
