“It is critical for companies to focus
on the health and wellness of their
employees for a variety of reasons.”
SMALL NORTH TEXAS
COMMUNITIES WIN BIG IN
STATEWIDE HEALTH CHALLENGE
Even for small communities in North Texas, the will
to win is big. And the healthy changes being made
are even more gratifying than the shiny trophies.
Dr. DeFina, president and CEO of the Cooper Institute CARE IN YOUR CITY:
with higher healthcare costs and workers whose
productivity suffers from illness. Findings released
by the Cooper Institute and published in the
Journal of the American College of Cardiology
note that high-fit participants showed 40 percent
lower average annual healthcare costs compared
to low-fit participants, based on Medicare charges
after age 65. This savings is significant, potentially
equaling an average of $5,242 less for men’s annual
healthcare costs and an average of $3,964 less for
women’s annual costs. FORT WORTH WORKS TOWARD
BECOMING BLUE ZONE
Two DFW-area communities were named 2018
Community Challenge Champions – a first-ever
tie – in the “It’s Time Texas” community health
and wellness challenge. Sponsored by Texas
grocer H-E-B, the annual statewide competition
encourages communities of all sizes, including
schools, businesses, organizations and mayors, to
commit to healthy living and ultimately transform
their community’s health. More than 21,000 Texans
representing 200 communities participated this
year, with more than 6,663 combined pounds lost
and myriad healthy lifestyle habits formed.
The North Texas communities of Lancaster and
Prosper each competed in the small community
category, which includes Texas cities with
populations between 5,001 and 40,000. In addition
to pitting their efforts against other cities across
the state, a healthy rivalry between these two
pushed both of them to be their best. The result?
Not only did the two achieve a first-ever tie in the
small community category, but they also each
earned more points than any other city in the state,
including big cities like Austin (effectively showing
everyone how it’s done in North Texas!). Each city
was awarded a trophy and $1,800, which was
received by a local school to implement a healthy
initiative. Bragging rights were included.
70
WWW.NTC-DFW.ORG
SUMMER 2018
unfit
fit
Healthy individuals have a 40 percent
lower average annual healthcare cost!
This study was led by Dr. Justin Bachmann,
instructor in the Division of Cardiovascular
Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center,
and Drs. Laura DeFina and Benjamin Willis of the
Cooper Institute, who served as co-authors.
“It is critical for companies to focus on the
health and wellness of their employees for a variety
of reasons,” said Dr. DeFina, president and CEO of
the Cooper Institute. “First and foremost, so that
they have healthy employees. There is literature
that fitness at mid-life is inversely associated
with later life health care costs. Other bodies of
literature suggest that there can be shorter term
cost benefits, as well.”
From a business perspective, Dr. DeFina
notes, fitter and healthier employees are able to
participate in job tasks and responsibilities better
and with greater success. For example, jobs that
require manual labor, such as climbing power poles,
are better accomplished by those who are fit.
“The increasing physical inactivity and obesity
epidemic are limiting those eligible to serve in the
military and in predominantly physical labor-based
jobs. Therefore, health and wellness should
be a priority for such companies. Further, there is
great evidence that regular physical activity leads to
improved brain activity and hence, better ability
to focus on the work at hand.”
Blue Zones Project, Fort Worth is a community-
led, well-being improvement initiative that focuses
on changing the environment around us to make
healthy choices easier. Principles are based on
lifestyles in Blue Zones, pockets of the world where
people live longer, better lives.
In 2013, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, Texas
Health Resources and the Fort Worth Chamber
of Commerce invited Blue Zones Project to
Fort Worth. Blue Zones Project partnered with
community leaders to conduct an assessment
to find out if Fort Worth was ready to join the
initiative. The answer was a resounding “yes,”
making Fort Worth the largest city to ever partner
with the initiative.
Since Blue Zones Project, Fort Worth kicked
off in February 2015, more than 74,000 people
have gotten involved in Blue Zones Project
activities. More than 260 restaurants, grocery
stores, schools, worksites, faith-based organizations
and other groups have joined the movement to
improve well-being. Today, Fort Worth is a Blue
Zones Project Demonstration Site, working toward
national certification as a Blue Zones Community.
Texas Health Resources, one of the largest
faith-based, nonprofit health systems in the
U.S. and the largest in North Texas in terms of
inpatients and outpatients served, has partnered
with Blue Zones Project to support the healthcare
system’s mission of improving the health of people
in the communities it serves.
“The healthcare issues facing our
country are complex and need a new
and innovative approach.”
Barclay Berdan, CEO of Texas Health Resources
Barclay Berdan, CEO of Texas Health
Resources, said, “We can no longer just treat
symptoms or expect people to change their
lifestyles when the environment around them
does not support those choices. That’s why Texas
Health Resources chose to partner with Blue
Zones Project, the City of Fort Worth and the
Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, to engage
the entire community in an effort to make healthy
choices easier where people live, work and play.”
Berdan emphasizes the importance of
employers joining the movement, as people spend
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Be a game changer
BUILDING
TOMORROW’S
WORKFORCE
www.dfwjobs.com [email protected] 817-695-9184
Industry leaders are partnering with Workforce Solutions
for North Central Texas to promote economic growth,
create opportunities and transform their workforce.
Make Your Move.