317 - Operationalizing Comprehensive Obesity Benefits: Guidance for Employers and Occupational Health Physicians

Session Description: Obesity significantly impacts employee functionality, productivity, safety, disability, and healthcare costs. Occupational medicine (OM) physicians and professionals are uniquely positioned to advocate for and implement comprehensive obesity benefits within corporate and non-corporate settings. This session presents an integrated framework for “operationalizing” a comprehensive obesity benefit—linking clinical management principles with employer-based implementation strategies. Drawing on recent research, professional guidelines, and case examples, presenters will examine practical approaches, including stepped-care models, benefit designs for different employer sizes, and OEM-specific counseling and referral tools.
Participants will learn how OEM physicians can engage in obesity management within their professional scope—supporting awareness, early involvement, and coordinated care—without taking on a primary treatment role. This session links public health evidence with occupational practice to improve worker well-being and organizational outcomes.

Educational Gaps: • Many OM physicians encounter workers with obesity but lack structured guidance on how to respond effectively .
• Existing wellness and benefit programs often operate in silos, missing opportunities for integration.
• Evidence-based escalation and stepped-care models for obesity are rarely adapted for occupational settings.
• Business and health ROI is essential to obesity management in organizations .

Is this session being sponsored by an ACOEM Section or Component?: Yes, ACOEM Obesity Guidance group sponsored by ACOEM Board and developed with an unrestricted grant from Novo Nordisk.

Has this session previously been presented?: No

The AOHC 2026 theme is Healthy workers. Healthy world: A healthy workforce is essential to a thriving, sustainable world. Obesity, now recognized as a complex chronic disease, affects millions of working adults and contributes to increased health risks, reduced productivity, and rising disability costs. Yet, occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) professionals are uniquely positioned to address this challenge at the intersection of individual health and organizational performance. This session, “Operationalizing a Comprehensive Obesity Benefit: A Practical Framework for Occupational and Environmental Medicine Professionals,” aligns directly with the conference theme, “Healthy Workers; Healthy World,” by translating evidence-based obesity care into actionable strategies for workplace health systems.

Participants will explore how OEM physicians can leverage their roles to promote early detection, facilitate care coordination, and support equitable access to obesity interventions—without assuming the role of primary treatment providers. Using a practical framework grounded in public health, behavioral science, and employer-based benefit design, the session emphasizes scalable approaches that fit organizations of varying sizes and resources. Through discussion of stepped-care models, benefit structures, and real-world case applications, presenters will illustrate how integrated obesity management enhances not only worker well-being but also organizational resilience and community health.

By reframing obesity as a condition that can be effectively managed through coordinated occupational health engagement, this session underscores the shared responsibility among clinicians, employers, employees, and benefit stakeholders to create environments that foster sustainable health. The framework empowers OEM physicians to act as catalysts for systemic change—bridging the gap between clinical expertise and workplace implementation. Ultimately, supporting workers in achieving and maintaining healthy weight improves energy, morale, and productivity, while reducing preventable illness and disability. These ripple effects extend beyond the workplace, strengthening families, communities, countries, and global economy and well-being. In operationalizing a comprehensive obesity benefit, OM professionals contribute directly to a broader vision: healthy workers building a healthier world.