Retrofit Weight Management Program Successful at Lowering BMI
Chicago, Ill (PRWEB) September 15, 2015 -- Employees who participate in a personalized weight management program through their employer lower their body mass index (BMI), according to new research released by Retrofit, a leading provider of corporate weight management programs. Implementing a targeted weight loss solution with proven outcomes increases employee happiness and performance and decreases an employer’s health-related costs.
“To date, traditional weight loss solutions have not met employers' needs,” said Mary Pigatti, Retrofit CEO. “Using a personalized, holistic weight management solution that is grounded in science, and focused on nutrition, activity and mindset, leads to sustainable weight loss. This has a positive ripple effect for organizations and employees.”
More than one-third of Americans are obese. Obesity-related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and osteoarthritis cost $147 billion. An individual who is obese will spend significantly more on medical expenses than someone with a healthy weight. These health risks greatly affect employers’ health-care costs and employee productivity.
Employees who participated in Retrofit’s individualized weight management program received support from weight-loss experts who encouraged them through a behavior-modification process with a focus on long-term lifestyle changes and increased happiness.
The program included the use of a proprietary Lifestyle-Patterns assessment, a comprehensive intake form about medical history, behaviors and preferences and regularly scheduled video sessions with an experienced coach. Coaches provided support and feedback through a participant’s private online dashboard, which tracked food logs and activity. Employees monitored their behavior and weight loss through a wifi-enabled scale, a wireless activity tracker and a mobile app. Participants also had access to live online interactive classes and expert-moderated online communities. A subset of participants who concluded the program were analyzed again at one year following their start date.
These employees had an average weight loss of 14.79 pounds or 6.41 percent of their initial body weight. More than 55 percent of participants lost 5 percent or more of their initial weight. They also had an average decrease in BMI of 2.24 BMI units. Employees who regularly weighed in and tracked their activity each week achieved a statistically significant weight loss. They also had a higher number of food log entries each week on average along with a higher average daily step count.
“The majority of participants reached a significant weight loss at one year following this program,” Pigatti said. “The personalized attention of a live coach, combined with interactive classes, social support and self-monitoring technology, encourages healthy behaviors and holds individuals accountable to achieve lasting weight-loss results.”
Click here to view the complete white paper featuring this research.
About Retrofit:
Retrofit offers weight management solutions that help employers tackle obesity and deliver proven outcomes and lasting results. Ninety percent of participants lose weight and 68 percent keep it off 18 months later. Retrofit clients also are two times more satisfied than those on other weight-loss programs, according to a recent client satisfaction survey. Retrofit contributes its success to five key factors: 1) a scientifically-based program design; 2) highly credentialed experts that drive a personalized experience and true engagement; 3) a multi-disciplinary, high-tech/ high-touch approach; 4) the adaptability of the program to integrate or run discreetly within organizations’ broader wellness ecosystems, and 5) “happiness delivered” with proven outcomes that transform lives and workplaces.
For more information, visit http://www.RetrofitMe.com or call 855-4-RETROFIT. Also follow the company on Facebook and Twitter at @retrofitme.
Nora Dudley, Retrofit, Inc., http://www.retrofitme.com, +1 (773) 330-5540, [email protected]
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