Wellness events spark St. Louis slim down

Courtesy Photo | Defense Contract Management Agency Boeing St. Louis team members celebrate their 2015 Walk to Wellness participation. Leading up to the event, many employees entered a “Biggest Loser Challenge,” which included health and fitness education, 44 participants, and 199.5 pounds of lost weight.  

ST. LOUIS, MO, UNITED STATES

08.21.2015

Story by Thomas Perry 

Defense Contract Management Agency

Defense Contract Management Agency Boeing St. Louis is full of losers — and that’s a good thing. The office recently held a “Biggest Loser Challenge” leading up to its annual Walk to Wellness, to inspire and motivate team members.

Highlights of the eight-week event included health and fitness education, 44 participants, and nearly 200 pounds of lost weight.

“The competition fostered a healthy rivalry among teammates and provided employees with tools and information to make wiser choices,” said Angela Coleman, a management analyst here. “We also used this event to remind employees that investing in one’s self is a priceless gift, whether you lose one pound or 20, everyone is a winner.”

The competition provided long-term rewards for some, as many entrants experienced a better appreciation for exercise routines and a nutritious diet, said Coleman. Given the prolonged rise in American obesity, these team members may end up being the real winners.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, more than one-third — 34.9 percent of 78.6 million — of U.S. adults are obese. The expanding epidemic impacts both the employee and employer negatively.

According to the NPAO Division website, “Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, (which are) some of the leading causes of preventable death.” The estimated U.S. annual medical cost of obesity was $147 billion in 2008, and the medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight.

The weight-loss challenge ended the day prior to St. Louis’ annual Walk to Wellness and office picnic. DCMA Boeing St. Louis Deputy Commander Kathy Berti said the three events perfectly paralleled the command’s emphasis on team member value.

“We recognize the importance of promoting well-being initiatives here,” said Berti. “To date, we have executed more than a dozen on-site health-related promotion events that have resulted in greater cohesion while positively extending wellness aspects to other endeavors.

“These efforts align with the commander’s philosophy of promoting ‘Excellence Across the Board,’” continued Berti, “with emphasis on our organization’s most critical aspect — our employees, who are dedicated in providing critical acquisition insight to the warfighter.”

Both the “Biggest Loser Challenge” and the Walk to Wellness benefited participants’ physical health, but an ancillary benefit included a healthier working environment.

“These annual wellness events are a great opportunity for us to gather as a team away from the work environment and stress the importance of taking care of ourselves physically,” said Navy Capt. Matthew McLaurin, DCMA Boeing St. Louis commander. “It was great to see so many folks encouraging each other during the walk and then having the opportunity to gather for a picnic afterwards really helped everyone get to know each other better.”

The agency-wide Walk to Wellness event began in Northern Virginia in 2003 as a 1.5 mile run/walk before expanding to its current 5K Walk to Wellness format in 2011.

• Date Taken: 08.21.2015
• Date Posted: 08.21.2015 10:56
• Story ID: 173858
• Location: ST. LOUIS, MO, US