Thin = savings?
I adore my local Whole Foods (fresh, organic produce and a fresh peanut butter dispenser? Of course I love it!). But I was a little wary when I heard about the company’s latest program.
The grocery chain has started an initiative called the Team Member Healthy Discount Incentive. Whole Foods employees with low BMI’s (Body Mass Indexes) are eligible to receive a bigger store discount than employees who are above a certain BMI level. So even though every employee gets a 20% discount, those who are deemed healthier by the store can get up to 30% off. According to Whole Foods’ CEO John Mackey, the program is an effort to reduce the company’s health care costs.
I’ll be honest: This doesn’t sit well with me. I definitely think it’s important to stay healthy, and offering employees incentives for doing just that could be a good thing. But considering that many experts are uncertain about the accuracy of measuring health with BMI, and the varying definitions of what really makes a person “healthy,” this just seems fishy. What about an employee who’s perfectly healthy but whose BMI is higher than the company wants? She may have to accept her standard discount while her “healthier” coworkers enjoy 10% more.
On the other hand, the program is optional. And the employees’ “Healthy Discount Levels” aren’t just based on BMI; they also take into account cholesterol and blood pressure. What do you think? Is this incentive a good way for employees to stay healthy? Or is it unfair?
-Michelle, KIWI editor
Tags: health, natural, organic, whole foods, whole foods market
1 comment
If one must pay attention to only one number when determining overall health (which I think is a terrible idea in general) then that number is percentage of body fat. BMI numbers are notoriously inaccurate especially when evaluating individuals with higher percentages of muscle mass. Muscle is proportionally much heavier than body fat and since BMI is calculated by dividing your weight by height, a person with a good amount of muscle mass could find themselves in the “overweight” category easily. In fact, I’ve just done my own BMI calculation and I’m “overweight.” Never mind that I am an elite amateur cyclist who regularly races his bike against professionals. Trains 4-7 days a week, on rides up to 6 hours in length. Unfortunately in a society where everyone wants a quick and easy answer (wanna lose weight? don’t eat carbs! worst dieting idea ever), it sounds like the geniuses at Whole Foods have found an overly simplistic formula only an accountant can love (and calculate).
Leave a Comment