Shape Up!

W hen Carolyn Shaw heads to the FedEx box these days, she takes the long way. Her boss, Paul Marinelli, does a loop around the office before going in. Their colleagues are taking extra steps, too.

Since the beginning of June, employees at Barron Collier Companies have voluntarily been donning company-supplied pedometers for an in-house competition. Those who reach their goal receive prizes, from caps and Subway gift certificates to a weekend at LaPlaya or a day off. It ends in November, coinciding with the Heart Walk in Naples.

"The buy-in has been phenomenal," says Marinelli. "We have approximately 200 employees that walk around with pedometers on their hips or belts. People are constantly saying, ‘How many [steps] do you have per day?’"

Barron Collier is among the local businesses and organizations taking part in the American Heart Association’s Start! program, designed to build a culture of fitness in companies. It’s a step toward better health for employees who might not otherwise take advantage of wellness programs.
"We’ve found that walking is the easiest form of exercise to start," says Teresa Ferrari, of the Collier County AHA chapter. "If you’re doing it within a company with your co-workers, you’ll be more motivated."

It’s no surprise that most companies want healthy and fit employees. Smoking, drinking and obesity-related illnesses cost employers in terms of rising insurance costs and productivity loss from absenteeism and lower performance levels.

According to the Florida Department of Health, 60.7 percent of Florida adults are overweight or obese, and adult obesity-related illnesses account for 5.1 percent—nearly $4 billion—of the total annual medical expenditures in the state. More than half of that is paid through Medicare and Medicaid.

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