Employees at the Douglasville-Douglas County Water & Sewer Authority are enjoying a healthier lifestyle because of the new worksite wellness program and incentives. They weigh in twice a month to record their weight loss.

Employees at the Douglasville-Douglas County Water & Sewer Authority (DDCWSA) are seeing measurable results through the Worksite Wellness Program, which began in May.

"A few things inspired us to start a wellness program," said Pete Frost, DDCWSA's executive director. "The annual increase in healthcare costs, results of employee screenings during a company health fair, a cardiologist's explanation of obesity and related health problems, and the Douglas County Health Department's report that 74 percent of Douglas County residents are overweight."

Many employees showed early signs and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Employees were exercising very little and had limited knowledge on healthy eating.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Georgia. This disease includes all diseases of the heart and blood vessels, including ischemic heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, hypertension and atherosclerosis. The modifiable risk factors are smoking, lack of physical activity, poor eating habits, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Collectively, employees at the Douglasville-Douglas County Water & Sewer Authority have lost 1,054.9 pounds of body fat by participating in the worksite wellness program.

Once employees showed a strong interest in improving their health and losing weight, the organization implemented a policy to change the work environment for the better. The program focuses on addressing three major areas: hypertension, diabetes and obesity.

"We immediately noticed improved moral and camaraderie amongst employees," said Frost.

Employees jumped on board and started walking away extra pounds and carefully planning lunch meals to cut the fat and costs. All employees are encouraged to make healthier food choices and exercise regularly during the work day.

The Cardiovascular Health Initiative (CVHI) partnered with Cobb-Douglas Public Health to engage local businesses to develop and implement worksite wellness policies and environmental changes. With the help of Bev Kartheiser, a health educator for Cobb & Douglas Public Health, DDCWSA was able to implement a new policy to support employee physical activity.

"The Worksite Wellness Program is an excellent example of the commitment to wellness initiatives, said Bev Kartheiser, a health educator for Cobb & Douglas Public Health. "Because of initiatives such as this, the business reaps the benefits of healthier employees. This program is a win-win proposition for everyone involved."

The involvement of managers in leadership roles has been very important to their success. Frost is encouraged that managers are taking the lead in the wellness initiative. So far, he has lost 41 pounds and has reduced his BMI from 29.5 to 25.

Kathy Macias, 55, started participating right away. Her father and mother suffered from illnesses related to hypertension, diabetes and heart disease and she cared for both parents with their chronic and severe health problems for 15 years. She was headed down the same medical path as her parents based on recent health screenings, but today, Macias is walking for a healthy heart and peace of mind. She has lost more than 20 pounds and wants to lose 15 more.

"I don't want my daughter to have to deal with my health problems in the future if I can prevent them," said Macias.

Wayne Privett walks 45 minutes before work and one hour after work, a total of five to six miles a day. He has lost 48 pounds.

"We get to interact with more of our employees," said Privett. "We all have a competitive spirit in each of us. We root for our teammates and we find ourselves cheering for those on other teams when they accomplish health goals."

The Fabulous Five is a dedicated group of co-workers on a weight loss mission. They are collectively engaged in eating smaller food portions, walking as a group, running three to four times a week and eliminating junk food.  

"I'd already lost 86 pounds on my own," Fabulous Five member Dianne Green said. "I started my journey at 287 pounds in October 2011. I was 201 in May when the wellness program began. This has pushed me with fun incentives and motivated me to keep going. I'm down to 174 now and want to get another 29 pounds off to reach my ideal weight of 145 pounds."

Employees' second great motivation is that the biggest losers receive monetary incentives for losing the weight and keeping it off. The group will have their final weigh in next month, and DDCWSA plans to implement different health-centric incentives, like reducing out of pocket healthcare costs. DDCWSA will also conduct another weigh in around May and award employees who continued their weight loss journey.

-Story by Connie F. Smith, DPH Communications