According to the Center for Disease Control, six out of 10 Americans are overweight, with more than one in four being obese.
Americans should look to the Japanese to slim down.
Two months ago, Japanese lawmakers made it mandatory for employers to measure the waistlines of their employees who are 40 to 74 years old. Men must not be larger than 33.5 inches and women 35.4 inches. Those with expanding waistlines have three months to lose weight or be subjected to health education. If folks haven't lost the weight after six months, their employers could be fined.
Lawmakers told The New York Times that their healthcare costs have ballooned and this is a way to decrease expenses.
What Japan is doing is a little extreme, but something needs to be done in America, where the average white male waistline is 39 inches and white female is 34.6, according to a survey by the National Center for Health Statistics.
I struggle with my weight with the best of them. I try to watch what I eat and exercise, but sometimes I just want that second piece of chocolate cake - and I have it! I cannot imagine having to report my waist size to my boss.
It shouldn't be up to my employer to make sure I stay trim, but then again, they are the ones footing my healthcare bills. My employer offers Weight Watchers classes in house. And for those who lose anything over five pounds, my employer will reimburse them half the cost of the weekly meetings.
Employers may not need to measure your waistline, but there should be programs in place to encourage overweight employees to slim down.
