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Community and public health and safety are interesting issues, as many of our state and governmental laws may seem to "take away" our individual rights to make our own health and safety decisions, and have given those rights over to the larger community: for the greater good. For instance, there are numerous health-related laws that once were considered personally intrusive, but that (most of us) no longer question: seat belt mandates, anti-driving while intoxicated laws, required and recommended vaccinations for entering public schools...the list can go on. In fact, isn't smoking in the car with children present banned in some states? What about cell phone use in cars?

What does this have to do with a company health & fitness program?

Along the lines of the "greater good" of the community's health (or organization's health), it makes sense to have institutionalized health and wellness programs in place. Just like a health law or policy, this company health program can provide its community with a program that acts like a metaphorical umbrella: it is more for protecting the overall community, rather than every single individual. And, unlike laws with fees, fines or other consequences for non-compliance, this "voluntary" program is, well, voluntary! (And, as a side note, many laws and policies do have "opt out" choices for individuals...we still do have individual decisions to make!) Unlike laws, if you follow then to the "T", you receive no "thanks" or "free gift", but with the company health and fitness program...there comes great benefits and rewards and incentives for participating! (or, is it not just for participating, but for "beating" others in a health/fitness contest? I digress...)

I may have read the information too quickly, but my biggest concern (if I were an employee at this company) would be that my information be kept confidential, and that other employees could not find out about my health status. There may be some healthy competition, but there is a fine line between motivating each other vs. putting others down for non-compliance or choosing not to participate. What about individuals with disabilities or health conditions that they want/need to keep private, and that prevent from participating in the "health and fitness" programs? Are they then "outcasts" of the system for not participating for some "unknown reason"? I'd like more reassurance that this would not be the case.

Lastly, an unfortunate side effect of institutionalizing a "health and fitness" program is that groups polarize from each other in extreme opposite ways, and we can see remnants of high school days emerge: classes of people become the "jocks", the "smokers", the "beauty queens", the "couch potatoes"...

July 27, 2008 - 7:30pm

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