Whole Food Employee Discounts- Interesting Way to entice fitness for employees

[ultramickeymouse]

Here is an interesting article to help motivate employees to keep in shape. Extra 10% discount is pretty good. What do you think?

http://jezebel.com/5456561/weigh-less-pay-less-whole-foods-offers-discount-based-on-bmi

 

[FireDancer]

I think anything a company can do to promote health is a good thing. Granted BMI isn't exactly the most accurate measurement of health but I'm not sure what else they can use as far as criteria goes.

We have anthem at work and were are part of a Healthy Lifestyles program through a supplemental company. We get access to free gym memberships, an on site health coach that comes monthly to answer any questions, and we have a health committee that puts together policies and contests.

We have some other companies in town that have on site gyms and one employer downtown that has a running track, tennis courts, basketball courts, and some other outdoor fitness facilities right on their property.

With all of this talk of health care reform not nearly enough time is spent on the absolute best way to lower cost...lifestyle. It won't eliminate disease but preventing long term health problems should start with lifestyle, not a pill which does nothing but mask symptoms while costing us a lot of money. A healthier staff leads to lower health care costs and we have found that the cost of the program is more then offset by the savings in premiums, and that is with a relatively low employee adoption of the opportunities.

 

[ultramickeymouse]

I agree. I know my wife's insurance keeps going up. They only pay part of hers and none of mine. It is very expensive. I wish they offered incentives for people to make themselves healthy and reduce costs to everyone.

 

[Steffwalks]

I agree that fitness and good habits deserve recognition and even a discount, but I think basing on BMI is lousy idea. The Mayo Clinic published and article this week that a large number of people who have the "right" weight and the "right" BMI are actually obese. They are carrying more fat than people with a higher BMI who have less body fat because of the muscle mass.

So, I guess what I am saying is that BMI is a mathematical measurement and not all that helpful when rewarding people. It just requires a better assessment, like a caliper test!

 

[FireDancer]

I agree that fitness and good habits deserve recognition and even a discount, but I think basing on BMI is lousy idea. The Mayo Clinic published and article this week that a large number of people who have the "right" weight and the "right" BMI are actually obese. They are carrying more fat than people with a higher BMI who have less body fat because of the muscle mass.

So, I guess what I am saying is that BMI is a mathematical measurement and not all that helpful when rewarding people. It just requires a better assessment, like a caliper test!

I completely agree but I think using BMI was a way to have some criteria without requiring anything invasive like blood work or a caliper test.

 

[Steffwalks]

A caliper test isn't invasive. There are good body fat measurement items on the market that could just as easily be used. They are much more accurate than BMI and can be purchased for less than $200! If you are qualifying for a discount, why wouldn't you want to step on scale to qualify? Afterall, you have to step on a scale for BMI to be calculated!! AND It can be just THAT simple! Otherwise, you are prohibiting people with healthy lifestyles and low body fat from recieving the benefit. In the mean time you may be allowing people who only have a normal weight, but without a healthy lifestyle to benefit.

Furthermore, BMI has been shown to be discriminatory. Insurance companies are prohibited by law from using BMI to: deny, lower, or provide benefit based on that number alone.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

Connie: Totally in agreement - BMI is such a poor measure of actual health, when you're looking at the minute (and random!) intervals that Whole Foods is using. Under Whole Foods' system, I would fit into the "Gold" category instead of "Platinum" based on my BMI. However, 2 years ago, before I started running, I did have a BMI under 24. In the 2 years that I've been running, I've gained 10 lbs overall, but gone down a dress size.... I simply replaced my body fat with muscle. Body fat tests reflect that I have very low body fat, but my BMI (and the scale!) would indicate that I've gotten LESS healthy since I started running. Simply not a good measure of health, if you're rewarding for BMIs that are below the "healthy" threshold.

Or, take my SIL. She is a world-class athlete (in fact, is going to the Vancouver Olympics next month) in cross-country skiing. XC is a sport that requires huge amounts of both upper and lower body muscle to propel your body through the snow and up the hills. My SIL has a BMI of 27, despite the fact that she does not have an ounce of fat on her body and trains 40-60 hours a week. According to Whole Foods, she would only qualify for the "Silver" discount.

 

[cewait]

I agree that BMI is a funky way to base a discount but there are not many easier ways to fit the weight/body fat issue into the mix.

Trust me, you do not want the discount based on a skin fold test or an electric impedance test as a way of judging body fat, either. The impedence scales can vary as much as 10% body fat within a day as they depend on hydration as much as body fat. Having performed several hundred skin fold tests I am more than aware of the subjectiveness in this method of measuring BF. If you are pinched regularly make sure you have the same person pinching test after test or your results WILL vary.

Short of putting a hydrostatic BF test facility in each store BMI is about as good a method as any.

Sorry I am probably in the minority here. AND I am also a high BMI person due to muscular build. Anyway I do not work there so I really am not sure I care all that much though I applaud the MGMT for focussing folks on health and healthy living through some form of motivational contest.

 

[Steffwalks]

Charles, I agree completely. But if they are going to "give" levels of rewards, they need to start with a level playing field and not a mathmatical equation!!