Wellness Is Not a Competition

“The Biggest Loser” television show has had a long run. It is popular with viewers who tune in weekly to watch the successes or failures of individuals who compete to lose weight by questionable dieting and exercise regimens. Initially, it may seem like a great idea to develop a weight-loss competition as part of your wellness program. As you can imagine, however, there is a lot that goes on during the program that is not captured by the cameras, and the show has caught the attention of health professionals who are concerned with the notion of weight loss as a competition.
 
While obesity is a known cause of many health-related diseases and conditions, employers who use weight loss as a reward or create weight-loss competitions, could be causing more harm than good. Below are four reasons that weight loss contests should not be held in the workplace as part of a worksite wellness program are:

There is a false assumption that in order to achieve optimal health, anyone with a BMI or weight above what is considered the ideal range should lose weight. While BMI and weight are important, other measures such as cholesterol, blood pressure, triglycerides, heart rate, lung capacity, bone density, and strength are also indicators of good health.

There is a misconception that if a person is determined enough they can lose weight and keep it off simply by eating less and exercising more. This way of thinking creates an unhealthy relationship with food, which can have damaging psychological effects such as self-loathing and depression and lead to eating disorders. 

The type of behavior encouraged by weight loss contests is unsustainable for long-term wellness. Restrictive eating and rigid exercise regimens require substantial time, energy and willpower and can be dangerous. Losing weight using inappropriate methods such as fasting, skipping meals and/or eliminating major food groups have proven to be unsuccessful methods to lose and maintain weight loss.

The weight cycle can become never-ending. Repeated weight gain and weight loss are both physically and emotionally harmful and counterproductive to well-being. The cycle can create self-loathing and leave employees feeling out of control around food.

Weight management is important for overall health so in order to have a meaningful impact, programs should be sustainable in the long-term. Programs should include both nutrition education and exercise initiatives. These efforts can help create positive feelings and the self-efficacy necessary for enjoying and sustaining healthy eating and regular physical activity. The ultimate goal shared by employers and employees is improved health, productivity and quality of life.

Wellness Workdays provides weight management programs for a number of employers. Our Nutrition for a Lifetime program consistently gets rave reviews from employees. We also offer a more comprehensive and targeted class for employees who are at risk for metabolic syndrome – a cluster of risk factors that puts individuals at a significantly increased risk for heart disease and diabetes. The Build a Better You program focuses on educating employees to make healthy lifestyle changes to reduce their risk of chronic disease and focuses on overall well-being, from nutrition and weight loss to stress and strength training.  

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Visit Wellness Workdays for more information on our worksite wellness programs.