Amy Andrews knows about yo-yo-ing on a diet — but she’s determined to keep the weight off.

“I had lost 30 pounds over the last couple of years, and then, the weight started creeping back on,” Andrews said. Andrews is the administrative assistant to the University of Georgia’s senior vice president for finance and administration, and she recently signed up for UGA’s Biggest Loser program, hosted by the university’s department of recreational sports.

Andrews has enrolled in other weight-loss programs before, and likes the structure of the university’s 10-week competition, she said.

“It provides that accountability, and it provides a fun atmosphere,” Andrews said.

Andrews thinks it makes sense for employers, like the University of Georgia, to help employees lose weight and prevent diseases like Type 2 diabetes, she said.

“The bottom line is, you can prevent a lot of these conditions,” she said. “It ends up costing so much and really decimates somebody’s health. If you can prevent that and save money at the same time (that makes sense).”

More and more employers are implementing fitness and wellness programs in order to keep health care costs down, invest in their employees and attract top-tier candidates for open jobs, said Mark Wilson, who heads UGA’s College of Public Health’s department of health promotions and behavior.

“Part of it is this idea that we understand that people are our business and that we need to take care of our people,” Wilson said.

He is glad to see programs like UGA’s Biggest Loser competition, but he’d still like to see an overall approach to encourage employees to choose healthier lifestyles, he said.

Employers likely will create even more workplace wellness programs as health care costs continue to rise. American business leaders in industries as diverse as automobile manufacturing and coffee shops have acknowledged that they pay more — per car or cup of joe — for their employees’ health benefits than the car’s steel or the coffee grounds.

Stacy Connell — before she became the assistant director for fitness and wellness at UGA’s department of recreational sports — helped implement a campus-wide wellness program in Fort Worth, Texas, that helped all employees, she said.

“Texas Christian University implemented a full-fledged employee wellness program for the staff and faculty of that university,” she said.

Connell helped organize UGA’s Biggest Loser program this year and hopes to see more comprehensive programs for UGA employees in the future.
There are 75 employees and students taking part in UGA’s Biggest Loser program this year.

“We would love to see it on a larger scale,” she said.

This is the recreational department’s second year hosting the competition, which will award prizes based on the percentage of pounds shed as well as participation.

During the Jan. 22 kickoff, each person completed tests — like blood pressure and flexibility — and was measured for weight, height and body composition, Connell said.

This year, the program was cheaper, though participants were required to have a Ramsey Student Center for Physical Activities membership, Connell said.

Many people showed interest in the competition, and leaders expanded the number of open slots to give more people the chance to participate, she said.