tony w

PepsiCo's workplace wellness program fails the bottom line -study

Published January 7, 2014 | By tony w

By Sharon Begley NEW YORK (Reuters) – A long-running and well-respected workplace wellness program at PepsiCo that encourages employees to adopt healthier habits has not reduced healthcare costs, according to the most comprehensive evaluation of a such a program ever published. Released on Monday in the journal Health Affairs and based on data for thousands of PepsiCo employees over seven years, the findings “cast doubt on the widely held belief” that workplace wellness programs save employers significantly more than they cost, conclude Soeren Mattke of the RAND Corporation and his co-authors. “Blanket claims of ‘wellness saves money’ are not warranted.” Workplace wellness programs, a $6 billion-a-year industry, are a favorite of the business community because they promise to improve productivity, cut absenteeism and reduce medical costs by averting expensive illnesses. They aim, for instance, to help employees quit smoking, maintain a healthy weight and have regular screenings for elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, cancer and other conditions, all of which are supposed to reduce healthcare spending.

Mediterranean diet linked to reduced risk of type 2 diabetes

Published January 7, 2014 | By tony w

According to the American Diabetes Association, 25.8 million adults and children in the US have diabetes. The condition is much more common in individuals over the age of 50, but new research suggests that older people may reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by following a Mediterranean diet.

5 Reasons New Diets Fail (And How to Avoid Them)

Published January 7, 2014 | By tony w

Don’t let your new diet fail. Avoid these pitfalls.

Nutrition recommendations not adhered to by majority of those with metabolic syndrome

Published January 7, 2014 | By tony w

Adherence to dietary recommendations is weak among people suffering from metabolic syndrome or having increased risk for metabolic syndrome, according to the Nordic SYSDIET study led by the University of Eastern Finland. In most cases, the diet is too high in salt and saturated fat, and too low in dietary fibre and unsaturated fat. Furthermore, many don’t have a sufficient intake of vitamin D.