Employers have a weight loss problem: With obesity rates inching north of 40%, both associated medical costs and indirect costs — like absenteeism, lower productivity and disability claims — are simply too high to ignore. At the same time, many workplace weight loss programs have a paucity of proven data to back up their claims, making employers hesitant to invest.
Brokers, go ahead and exhale. Because Real Appeal offers something very different: proven, peer-reviewed ROI and a pay-for-performance model that ratchets down the risk for nervous employers.
In a study of nearly 10,000 people, published in the journal Obesity, researchers were able to look at real-world medical claims data and show that medical expenditures were 12% less for Real Appeal participants when compared with a control group. In aggregate, these medical cost savings were more than double the program costs, resulting in a 2.3:1 ROI.
And unlike other programs, which may manipulate their results to include only the most engaged participants, Real Appeal’s ROI calculation accounts for every employee who attended at least one session, including those who immediately opted out. The more sessions workers attended, the greater the savings.
Real Appeal Works. But What Is It?
Real Appeal is a 52-week digital weight loss program that focuses on small, meaningful, and lasting lifestyle changes.
Employees receive access to best-in-class weight loss support –– including online sessions led by a weight loss coach and a Success Kit filled with resistance bands, meal plans, and other resources –– while employers receive a partner whose financial success is directly tied to the same goals. Real Appeal minimizes financial risk by charging only when participants attend weekly classes and are on track for weight loss.
And rather than target only employees who have obesity, which risks introducing shame and stigma, Real Appeal is inclusive. By offering a scalable program that’s open to everyone, employers can tackle not only the runaway costs associated with obesity, but also help overweight workers avoid obesity in the first place.
Ready to kick-start a conversation with clients? Here are a few talking points to keep in mind:
- Proven ROI: Breaking even would be something to celebrate for most employers looking to help their employees improve their health. But Real Appeal blows past that target, with a 2.3:1 ROI, based on a three-year study of medical claims data for nearly 10,000 people. Most employers won’t want to dig deep into the peer-reviewed study, but this easy-to-read report breaks down the findings in detail.
- Turnkey Program: Forget the heavy lift from HR or having to roll out some complicated piecemeal program. Real Appeal is turnkey for time-strapped employers, from tracking and management tools to communications.
- Scalable and Inclusive: Real Appeal is designed to be inclusive and inviting for everyone looking to lose weight and get healthy. And research shows our model is built to scale, delivering ROI across large, diverse employee populations.
- Pay-for-Performance Model: We do away with the guesswork and vague projections of deploying a weight loss program. Employers can take comfort in knowing they’ll pay for Real Appeal only if employees are actively engaged and on track to hit their weight loss goals.
Download the Real Appeal ROI Report now and consider sending it to your clients!
ROI pertains to members who enrolled and attended 1+ sessions in the Real Appeal program from July 2015 to June 2016, with available claims data from 2015 to 2019. Results may vary by population.
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