Chubby Mommy

Not content to with figures that associate being overweight with increased health problems that lead employees to miss work, Houston Chronicle editorial now says that being fat costs businesses even when employees show up for work:

But now, more Americans than ever are obese. Research increasingly shows these pounds translate directly to economic loss. Businesses, it turns out, are among the hardest hit, because they are the country’s primary source of private health insurance.

But businesses are also among the best positioned in our society to ease the national burden.

Comptroller Susan Combs, who recently analyzed obesity’s cost in the workplace, found that businesses in Texas might pay more for poundage than those in other states. Almost 89 percent of Texas adults who have private insurance get it from their jobs. We’re also fatter: A full 27 percent of Texans in 2005 were obese, compared to the national average of 24.4 percent.

In 2005, obesity cost Texas $3 billion in health care, absenteeism, disability and “presenteeism” (showing up for work but accomplishing less, due to weight-induced problems).

“Presenteeism” — did you get that? Even if weight doesn’t trigger health problems, even if it’s not tied to sick days, employers and insurance companies are still going to an overweight employee as costing them money… just because they are fat.

I can’t see where a secretary’s weight could affect how many words per minute she types. Or how many calls an overweight customer service rep can handle. Would an overweight programmer write any less code or a fat copywriter fashion fewer ad blurbs?

Not all of our nation’s ills are attributable to weight-related issues, and both employers and insurers need to be advised of this before we begin seeing a slew of fat people fired for no other reason than their weight might affect the company’s bottom line.

If we are going to insist on referring to the number of people in this country who are over an ideal weight and call it an “epidemic,” shouldn’t we be treating that epidemic as we do other ones: look for the causes, not merely the symptoms, and eradicate them. Figure out what’s made so many people turn to emotional eating and address it. Create safer areas for people to get outside and get active. Put nutrition labels on everything: fast food wrappers, movie popcorn, recipes in magazines or on cooking shows as well as on health food menus.

And would someone — someone — please launch a line of affordable gyms for fat people only???