Nationwide Better Health(SM), a leading provider of health and productivity management solutions, announced today that its chief medical and science officer, Dr. Neil Gordon, will present his research entitled “Effect of a Lifestyle Health Coaching Program on Multiple Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Participants with Classes I, II, and III Obesity” at the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) annual conference in Indianapolis, Ind. today, Sept. 19 and Saturday Sept. 20, between 10:30 – 11 a.m. Dr. Gordon will be available for questions and discussion during the session time noted, located in the Indianapolis Convention Center.
Despite unprecedented public attention, the obesity epidemic continues to plague the U.S., as rates of adult obesity now exceed 25 percent of the population in 19 states(1). Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease kills nearly 2,400 Americans each day. Moreover, the estimated direct and indirect cost of cardiovascular disease in the U.S. for 2008 is $448.5 billion.
In a landmark one-year study conducted with 3,613 adults with classes I, II and III obesity, Dr. Gordon et. al. demonstrated that obese individuals can significantly improve multiple cardiovascular disease risk factors by participating in a one-year lifestyle health coaching program.
When enrolled in the Nationwide Better Health lifestyle health coaching program, participants benefited from weight loss, reductions in blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glucose, and the overall chances of having a heart attack. The study shows that even individuals with severe obesity can derive substantial benefit from the program.
Dr. Gordon’s study serves to demonstrate the important role that a carefully structured, evidence-based lifestyle health coaching program can play in combating both the obesity and cardiovascular disease epidemics. The study’s findings have important implications for preventing unnecessary death and disability, enhancing productivity, and reducing rapidly escalating health care expenditures in the U.S.
To learn more about the Nationwide Better Health lifestyle health coaching program, visit http://www.nwbetterhealth.com/products-services/health-promotion.html.
About Nationwide Better Health
Nationwide Better Health(SM), a subsidiary of Nationwide(R), is a leading provider of health and productivity management solutions, aimed at improving the health and productivity of America’s workforce. Nationwide Better Health is the first company to truly integrate the best collection of health and productivity services available today, including health and wellness, and disease, disability, absence, medical and maternity management. The company’s offerings work together and independently to address both sides of the cost equation: increased efficiency of health and productivity programs and better employee health and well-being to reduce health care-related costs. For more information, call 866.404.6924 or visit: www.nwbetterhealth.com.
Nationwide, the Nationwide framemark and On Your Side are federally registered service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. Nationwide Better Health is a service mark of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.
(1) Trust for America’s Health, 2007: F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America
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