The calories are adding up in too many children's daily lives, adversely affecting their health, happiness -- and ultimately, Corporate America’s benefits budgets.

. . . The severity of the problem has dramatically increased, as studies have shown a tripling of childhood obesity in the U.S. over the past 30 years. Nearly one-third of children in the country are now considered either overweight or obese, the highest percentage of overweight youth in the nation’s history.

“There is a great deal at stake for U.S. employers,” said Helen Darling, president of the National Business Group on Health (NBGH), whose members include 280 large U.S. employers.  “An obese teenager has a 70 percent chance of [becoming] an obese adult.  And with health care for obesity-related illnesses costing employers at least $45 billion annually, the price tag of this childhood epidemic could become unaffordable if we don’t change course.”

NBGH has developed a toolkit to help U.S. employers address the growing problem of overweight and obese children with the support of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

. . . Already, some employers have taken action to combat childhood diabetes. For example, Texas Instruments gives kids access to their fitness facilities and provides camps that emphasize wellness during vacation breaks and the summer months. Some employers also provide children medical checkups through on-site company clinics.

“As obesity increases among children, employers are clearly going to be affected in many ways…Schools, child care facilities, communities and families have begun to respond but more focused efforts are urgently needed," said LuAnn Heinen, a vice president and director of the Institute on the Costs and Health Effects of Obesity. "Employers and health care providers also have roles to play as part of a comprehensive solution."

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