In 1991, a study at Steel case, an office-equipment producer, found that participants in a company fitness program had medical-claims costs 55 percent lower over a six-year period than did nonparticipants.

Not having such a program can lead to:

• Obesity: Overweight employees are more likely to file for worker's compensation.

• Workers that are physically unfit tend to also be physically ailing. This can result in being absent more often and more medical claims. Statistics have shown that overweight employees miss ten additional days than fit employees.

• Businesses will also see that physically unfit employees will also cost them more money when it comes to health care. Overweight employees cost employers anywhere from fifty dollars to two thousand dollars per year because of health care costs and loss of production. The majority of our health care costs are a result of bad habits, poor diet, and lack of exercise. Unhealthy employees are in fact driving up the costs of health care.