Health and Wellness in California 1

Running Header: Unit 9 Final Assignment

Charles Denisar

Health and Wellness in California

EF310 Current Trends in Exercise and Fitness:

Aging Well Across the Lifespan

Professor Long Nguyen

Kaplan University

Health and Wellness in California 2

Employers in California as well as the rest of the country should address obesity in the

workplace as it has turned into a major epidemic throughout both! This is of course why

California has businesses using wellness committees to help fight this war on obesity. These

committees are used to control the worksite program which has been set up. This could be used

to help employees figure out ways to eat healthier as well as finding ways in which to become

more active (Worksite Program California Fit Business Kit, 2014)! There are many different

ways in which one can eat healthier or Workout; by giving individuals different ideas it will

certainly help them begin to have a healthier way of life. It is in my opinion the beginning which

can certainly be the hardest part when looking to become healthier and more physically fit!

A lot of employers both big and small have either vending machines or cafeterias in

which their employees can use to recharge. With this being the case we could use this program to

ensure that the options are at a minimum a little healthier for those eating them! By working

together companies would be able to stock said machines with merchandise that is not as loaded

with sugar, fat, or calories. The information provided also had some harsh words for the food

coming out of cafeterias as well (Worksite Program California Fit Business Kit, 2014)! In my

opinion these companies should be able to go in with local farmers and other merchants about

bring in local produce and other foods which are better for those they serve! If done correctly

this could benefit not only those who frequent the cafeterias, but also the local economy as well.

Which could only be seen as a win in my opinion!

The reading did not specifically say anything about childhood obesity, however; in my

opinion this has got to be included! As we continue forward into the future this in my opinion is

a problem that will just continue to grow in nature if not addresses and addressed immediately!

Working at a gym and with local schools I have seen with my own eyes that our children are

Health and Wellness in California 3

heading down a very slippery slope! According to the CDC we were sitting at 17% of

adolescents being considered obese. That would mean we had a total 12.5 million kids seen this

way in 2011-2012 (Childhood Obesity Facts, n.d.)! If these numbers are to be believed how you

could think any programs of this nature did not at least take this into consideration. This is also a

state wide program which in my opinion means everything was brought into consideration when

creating this plan; even if it is just getting parents to bring healthier habits home with them!

There are many ways in which employers can help their employees stay motivated

through this program! One way was making the stairs a more enjoyable option when getting

around work! This can be done by adding motivational posters and such along the stairwell

walls. You could also think about piping in music to the stairwells making the trio from floor to

floor that much more enjoyable! Finally one could choose to carpet the stairway in order to make

things less noisy as well as having me believe it could make things just that much more homey

and inviting for the employees to use (Improving worksite Stairwells, n.d.)!

When it comes to helping those that are overweight or obese and face difficulties while

facing your changes you could always help them with minor changes while building on their

successes! According to resources we have received the example of a walking club was given.

There are many reasons why this is a good idea. For one it is an easy way to start to get back into

better shape! It is something that all almost all can do no matter the fitness level; with some of

the benefits listed as follows. Walking can improve flexibility and coordination, it can help

control weight and fat levels, one can strengthen bones, and we do not want to forget that it can

most certainly increase one’s life expectancy! Some other aspects of this idea are that it is not

expensive to do as well as being social in nature. Now the site notes that it helps on costs for the

company, but I am going to go the other way with this. Working in a gym I know a lot of

Health and Wellness in California 4

individuals pass on membership because of the cost! With this there is very little cost for those

that participate, and that can be a very important factor if you were to ask them! Now as for the

social aspect; this to cannot be overstated if you ask me. The fact that it is a social workout can

keep people engaged and coming back for more. Most people look at working out as a job in and

of its self; if we can get them looking at it in a more social gathering type of way the workout

gets done, and they really do not think twice about it as they are conversing with one another and

motivating each other along the way (Establishing Worksite Walking Clubs, n.d.)!

Health and Wellness really is my passion, as well as my life! I am a gym manger and also

a personal trainer; I deal with people who are scared, intimidated, out of shape, and in need of

help on a daily basis! I for one am all for any program in which people receive the help and

opportunity to get healthier whether through diet or exercise! The fact that there was limited

links within the given resources actually concerns me as much as it surprised me! I am hoping

there are more out there that just were not listed! We have many people out there who for one

reason or another are not able to work out, and maybe uncertain about how to start eating

properly; I think that with more programs such as these put in place, and more companies willing

to engage in such activities as changing available foods which are there for their employees, or

enacting walking clubs, and stairwell travel as part of their daily routine can only be seen as a

positive by anyone looking on, and will only help said companies! Whether it be financially

through insurance costs, or production as missed days due to illness will dwindle with healthier

employees it can only be seen as a win for those that comply with such programs! As for the

people themselves better health can benefit their bottom dollar as well since those days missed

will be less of a regularity. Their moods could very well be changed for the better, and if these

steps are taken home the health and wellness of their loved ones would only increase as well!

Health and Wellness in California 5

References

Worksite Program California Fit Business. (2014). Retrieved on March 31, 2014, from

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/cpns/pages/worksitefitbusinesskit.aspx#3

Childhood Obesity Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved on March 31, 2014, from

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.htmlw

Improving Worksite Stairwells. (n.d.). Retrieved on March 31, 2014, from

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/cpns/Documents/Improving%20Worksite%20Stairwel

ls_FEB_2008FINAL.pdf

Establishing Worksite Walking Clubs. (n.d.). Retrieved on March 31, 2014, from

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/cpns/Documents/Establishing%20Worksite%20Walki

ng%20Clubs_FEB_2008FINAL.pdf