Obesity is associated with a variety of poor health outcomes, but over the last several decades several studies suggest that the obese population may have grown healthier since the 1960’s.  High cholesterol levels and high blood pressure levels have declined with treatment among obese individuals.  However, obesity does continue to be associated with excess mortality.

It has been unclear however, whether improvements in cardiovascular risk factors and mortality have been accompanied by improvements in other health outcomes, particularly disability from the inability to perform tasks such as walking ¼ mile, walking up 10 steps, stooping, lifting 10 pounds, walking between rooms and standing from an armless chair.  A recent study in Journal of American Medical Association showed that the improvements in cardiovascular health have not been accompanied by reduced disability within the obese older population.  Rather, obese participants surveyed between 1999 - 2004 were more likely to report functional impairments than obese participates surveyed during the 1988 - 1994 period.

These results seem to indicate that over time “declines in obesity-related mortality along with the younger age at onset of obesity, could lead to an increase burden of disability within obese older populations.”  JAMA, 2007; 298 [17]: 2020-2027

This information strongly suggests that it will be to the employer’s financial benefit to encourage obese employees to lose weight since the long term costs of their disability can significantly affect the employer’s bottom line.