diabetes

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OjAgYXV0b30jdGJjc3MgLndwLWJsb2NrLXRvb2xzZXQtYmxvY2tzLWdyaWQtY29sdW1uLnRiLWdyaWQtY29sdW1uW2RhdGEtdG9vbHNldC1ibG9ja3MtZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW49IjM4Y2NiZmU1MjZmNGQ1YTZmNjIwN2MzOGZlMDM5YjdiIl0geyBkaXNwbGF5OiBmbGV4OyB9IC50Yi1jb250YWluZXIgLnRiLWNvbnRhaW5lci1pbm5lcnt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO21hcmdpbjowIGF1dG99LnRiLWNvbnRhaW5lciAudGItY29udGFpbmVyLWlubmVye3dpZHRoOjEwMCU7bWFyZ2luOjAgYXV0b30udGItY29udGFpbmVyIC50Yi1jb250YWluZXItaW5uZXJ7d2lkdGg6MTAwJTttYXJnaW46MCBhdXRvfSB9IEBtZWRpYSBvbmx5IHNjcmVlbiBhbmQgKG1heC13aWR0aDogNTk5cHgpIHsgLnRiLWdyaWQsLnRiLWdyaWQ+LmJsb2NrLWVkaXRvci1pbm5lci1ibG9ja3M+LmJsb2NrLWVkaXRvci1ibG9jay1saXN0X19sYXlvdXR7ZGlzcGxheTpncmlkO2dyaWQtcm93LWdhcDoyNXB4O2dyaWQtY29sdW1uLWdhcDoyNXB4fS50Yi1ncmlkLWl0ZW17YmFja2dyb3VuZDojZDM4YTAzO3BhZGRpbmc6MzBweH0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW57ZmxleC13cmFwOndyYXB9LnRiLWdyaWQtY29sdW1uPip7d2lkdGg6MTAwJX0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4udGItZ3JpZC1hbGlnbi10b3B7d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtkaXNwbGF5OmZsZXg7YWxpZ24tY29udGVudDpmbGV4LXN0YXJ0fS50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWFsaWduLWNlbnRlcnt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO2Rpc3BsYXk6ZmxleDthbGlnbi1jb250ZW50OmNlbnRlcn0udGItZ3JpZC1jb2x1bW4udGItZ3JpZC1hbGlnbi1ib3R0b217d2lkdGg6MTAwJTtkaXNwbGF5OmZsZXg7YWxpZ24tY29udGVudDpmbGV4LWVuZH0gI3RiY3NzIC53cC1ibG9jay10b29sc2V0LWJsb2Nrcy1ncmlkLnRiLWdyaWRbZGF0YS10b29sc2V0LWJsb2Nrcy1ncmlkPSJjNmY2ZDI4NjA3NTdjODE5NDFhNjlhMDg5NjkzNjc2MyJdIHsgZ3JpZC10ZW1wbGF0ZS1jb2x1bW5zOiBtaW5tYXgoMCwgMWZyKTtncmlkLWNvbHVtbi1nYXA6IDBweDtncmlkLXJvdy1nYXA6IDBweDtncmlkLWF1dG8tZmxvdzogcm93IH0gI3RiY3NzIC53cC1ibG9jay10b29sc2V0LWJsb2Nrcy1ncmlkLnRiLWdyaWRbZGF0YS10b29sc2V0LWJsb2Nrcy1ncmlkPSJjNmY2ZDI4NjA3NTdjODE5NDFhNjlhMDg5NjkzNjc2MyJdICA+IC50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbjpudGgtb2YtdHlwZSgxbisxKSB7IGdyaWQtY29sdW1uOiAxIH0gLnRiLWNvbnRhaW5lciAudGItY29udGFpbmVyLWlubmVye3dpZHRoOjEwMCU7bWFyZ2luOjAgYXV0b30udGItY29udGFpbmVyIC50Yi1jb250YWluZXItaW5uZXJ7d2lkdGg6MTAwJTttYXJnaW46MCBhdXRvfS50Yi1jb250YWluZXIgLnRiLWNvbnRhaW5lci1pbm5lcnt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO21hcmdpbjowIGF1dG99I3RiY3NzIC53cC1ibG9jay10b29sc2V0LWJsb2Nrcy1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbi50Yi1ncmlkLWNvbHVtbltkYXRhLXRvb2xzZXQtYmxvY2tzLWdyaWQtY29sdW1uPSIzOGNjYmZlNTI2ZjRkNWE2ZjYyMDdjMzhmZTAzOWI3YiJdIHsgZGlzcGxheTogZmxleDsgfSAudGItY29udGFpbmVyIC50Yi1jb250YWluZXItaW5uZXJ7d2lkdGg6MTAwJTttYXJnaW46MCBhdXRvfS50Yi1jb250YWluZXIgLnRiLWNvbnRhaW5lci1pbm5lcnt3aWR0aDoxMDAlO21hcmdpbjowIGF1dG99LnRiLWNvbnRhaW5lciAudGItY29udGFpbmVyLWlubmVye3dpZHRoOjEwMCU7bWFyZ2luOjAgYXV0b30gfSA=

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, giving us a great reason to focus on one of the most pervasive chronic diseases in America. In the United States alone, diabetes affects more than 37 million people — each of whom must live with the disease all day, every day, including in the workplace.

Employees with diabetes can face special challenges while at work, but those challenges can be managed or overcome with good communication and a little planning between the worker and his or her superior.

Addressing Diabetes Is Good for Business

Diabetes can be costly. In fact, a recent study by the American Diabetes Association estimated the total cost of diabetes in the workplace at $327 billion. Helping your employees prevent or manage diabetes can not only help them be healthier and more productive, but it can also actually lower health care costs for them and for your business. While each employee must ultimately manage his or her own diabetes, smart employers know there’s a strong business case for helping employees with diabetes stay healthier. So, what are some ways that employers can help in the fight against diabetes?

Screening programs. Consider adding voluntary screening programs or health fairs to your company’s health care programs. These can include glucose screenings, A1C, blood pressure testing, cholesterol and weight screenings.
Offer incentives. Consider incentivizing participation in diabetes and other health management programs.
Lead by example. Promote healthier lifestyle practices in the workplace, and ensure employees are aware of any exercise programs, healthy diet and weight loss programs and/or annual health screenings that may be available to them.

Small adjustments to your company’s work environment and culture can help reduce medical absenteeism, increase productivity, improve concentration and energy levels, and reduce the chance of on-the-job injury.

Mercy Occupational Medicine can help your company in the fight against chronic diseases like diabetes by holding on-site wellness screenings, vaccinations and healthier lifestyle programming for your employees. If you are interested in these services, please contact Jon Medin at jmedin@mercyurgentcare.org or by calling 828.252.3443.

Source: Center for Disease Control, and American Diabetes Association

Obesity is a chronic and progressive health condition, and its effects have only been compounded by the pandemic. In fact, obesity now affects more than 40% of adults in the United States, and it’s become a growing source of workplace risk, contributing to higher work-related accidents, higher health care costs, increased chronic conditions, musculoskeletal problems, absenteeism and loss of productivity. A growing body of research shows that people with obesity are also at greater risk of suffering from severe COVID-19 complications and hospitalization.

New data suggests that for individuals under the age of 65 — the bulk of the American workforce — obesity is the most common underlying condition in COVID-19 associated hospitalization, more common than hypertension, diabetes or cardiovascular disease. According to the American Psychological Association, 42% of Americans have gained an average of 29 pounds since the beginning of the pandemic. This spike in the obesity rate has created a potential tsunami of subsequent diseases, such as type II diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, musculoskeletal conditions and multiple cancers.

So, what role do employers play in the obesity epidemic in America, and how can companies mitigate the effects of obesity in their workforce? Here are a few suggestions:

Incorporate nutrition/healthy eating and physical activity into worksite wellness and health promotion programs
Encourage healthier behaviors in both nutrition and physical activity
Incorporate educational programs, behavioral counseling or environmental change strategies into your wellness programming
Consider structured wellness programs and screenings to better engage employees and to increase the opportunity for successful outcomes
Offer weight management programs or incorporate weight management into worksite wellness and health promotion programs
Offer onsite health screenings or health risk assessments

Incorporating these types of programs into your company’s wellness initiatives can help to reduce risks related to obesity and make a significant impact on the overall health of your employees.

Mercy Occupational Medicine offers onsite wellness programs and biometric screenings for businesses in WNC. To explore these options for your company, contact us at 828-274-6707 or mom@mercyurgentcare.org.

Source: NAOHP, Harvard School of Public Health

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