Should your employer offer incentives for losing weight? Whole Foods does

HELL YES! and nonsmokers and non druggers and people with a normal BMI should get rebates on insurance

The main point brought up by those not digging Whole Foods incentive program is that they are rewarding skinny people. Last time I checked the BMI chart, being in the "normal" range doesn't have to indicate skinny. It just means that person is no longer in the "overweight" category.

We need to get past the thought skinny and obese as the only two categories we can fall into. Good for WF, in my opinion for actually giving a damn. That's more than I can say for some of us sitting on our butts at the computer spewing digust at people trying to get healthy.

Not smoking also adds incentives at Whole Foods btw. You don't see many people sitting outside smoking there versus a Kroger or Wal-mart.

I think its a good idea, plus its voluntary. As long as no one is being forced to participate, whats the big deal?

I think this is a great idea. It may even help employees have lower health insurance premiums, since people who are healthy have fewer insurance claims and that makes the insurance cost less. Also, Whole Foods caters to shoppers who strive for healthier lifestyles so it's good for them to encourage their employees to do the same.

somebody should take a look at how they pay their rank and file...really, most of the rank and file, the grunt workers, Whole Foods employees are not buying the bulk of their groceries at Whole Foods, so really an immaterial concept. If you are making less then the poverty line at your part-time job, you would need a 80% discount to shop at Whole Foods.

Missy then what about all the other companies that do very similar things? Only it gives out money. And some even in the public sector.

I like the idea of the program, but agree that the BMI is not the best measure to use for the program. I think its a pretty good measure, don't get me wrong--but a bulimic person can maintain a weight that falls within a healthy BMI range and an athlete can rate as obese per their BMI. That doesn't make the bulimic person healthier, and it certainly doesn't make them less likely to need health care, than the athlete. It could also be potentially biased against employees who have a medical condition that makes it extremely difficult for them to lose weight.

Some people don't eat healthy because it costs more. Giving lesser discounts to overweight people just reinforces this issue. Why not give higher discounts depending on food choices. That way overweight people will have not only an incentive but an opportunity to afford healthy food.

John Mackey is an unethical slimeball who built his business through dishonest means. I concur with Ginger about who's shopping at Whole Foods. It certainly isn't their employees.

I agree with the theory of rewarding health, but BMI is the wrong measure. BMI is a notoriously poor judge of health due to its simplicity. Yes, it can give a general measure, but for someone like me it's worthless. I do weights and cardio for several hours a day and my body fat is 18%, which is extremely good for a woman. However, my BMI is on the very high end of the healthy range because being muscular, I'm not a lightweight. All BMI measures is height and weight.

It's a start, though. This country has turned into one big blob of fat, and any incentive to get people to move more and take care of themselves is a good thing.

If your job is in the health industry like in a gym, you are a nurse or MD, or other such area then you need to me fit and trim and the picture of health yourself. How can I listen to someone tell me I need to trim the pounds or watch my diet to control my cholesterol when they are grossly overweight and look bad. If you are in a private industry, behind a desk, dealing with taxes, other such stuff then it's not such a big deal.

I have friends at Whole Foods and they make over minimum in my state. (One makes 13.50 an hour). Its not a ton but its decent combined with discount.

And you aren't reveling anything. People can see if your BMI is higher (sans athletes)
Ironically my friend and I just had a discussion about this when we went to get tea (he works at Whole Foods)

I think this article is taking a cheap shot at a company we should be applauding. They give health benefits at all - whoohooo! And they don't "punish" heavier people, they still get a discount!!! Besides, they're working at Whole Foods, it's pretty clear that they have access to healthy food.

i work at whole foods and i really like this program. i just started so i'm not eligible yet, but you can bet i'm gonna get screened as soon as i can! i'm overweight and trying to lose, and this is helping to keep me motivated.

and it's not as cut-and-dry as this article says. the author should have looked into the healthy eating initiative and what individual stores are doing to promote healthy employees, not just skinny ones. at my store we're having a biggest loser competition, and our store team leader (manager) is encouraging participants to follow healthy eating habits, not starvation fad diets. lots of veggies, lean proteins, etc. i agree that BMI shouldn't be one of the factors and that a body fat test would be better. but like john mackey said, it's a cheap and easy method of testing.

if you work at whole foods, you will find that increasing your buying power won't decrease your health. you're constantly around fresh produce and coworkers who do care about healthy eating. it really rubs off on you. and in the initial training, you learn about healthy food. part of this screening is to help educate the team members on living a healthy lifestyle. that extra 5% discount (or whatever you qualify for) might be enough to get you to have a lean buffalo steak over a fatty, greasy fast food burger. that's why i'm volunteering to be screened.

Not digging it... I'd rather have a heavy person that actually works rather than a skinny one that disappears into the stock room so that you can never find them when you need them. Giving the discounts to people based on BMI... nah, like I said, a lot of skinny minis can get the discount, and they're crappy workers. Seems lame to me.

I don't understand why this would be a problem... especially if it's voluntary... My work place does essentially the same thing (sans the BMI however)... we have a wellness incentive every year... we rack up points by seeing the doctor, losing weight, quit smoking, lower Cholesterol, attending health fairs, exercising, etc... and we get money for those points... there are three point thresholds...

So as long as they incentivizing all forms of health behaviour and not just one, I really don't see what the problem is.

While the concept is an agreeable and positive one. The approach is not. This is not a politically correct way to provide additional incentives. The company ought to revamp this program and try again, one where all employees can take part.. after all if the company promotes a team work effort, the the company should promote a team health effort incentive.. emphasis on team, where everyone can be included

So if you're anorexic, you really clean up! And you'll barely use the discount on food. Win-win.

Being really fat isn't healthy, but thinking that thinner people are healthier is nuts. I've known enough thin or average weight, depressed, self-involved, maladjusted people who couldn't make it through the day without antidepressants, booze, or pot. Eventually the insurance companies will find that just because employees may not cost them in physical costs regardless of weight, they might affect the bottom line with mental health issues. They should look at it this way. Fat people don't live as long so it won't cost them as much in the long run. But an apparently physically healthy person with mental issues can have a way longer battery life, and the need for counseling and meds can last just as long.

Now that I'm thinking about though... body fat percentage would be better... because somebody that works out a lot might still have a high BMI and even though they are healthy would still get screwed... however, I don't see a problem with giving bigger discounts to those that live healthier lifestyles... it's an incentive.