Credit union human resource executives looking to stem therising costs of health care insurance may want to take a secondlook at starting a workplace wellness program.

According to a new study published in the January edition of theJournal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine,workplace wellness programs have the potential to reduce averageemployee health costs by 18% — and even more for olderemployees.

The study – titled “Medical Care Savings from WorkplaceWellness Programs: What is a Realistic Savings Potential” –focused on seven risk factors or medical conditions typicallyaddressed by workplace wellness programs: physical inactivity, lowfruit and vegetable intake, smoking, overweight/obesity, high bloodpressure, high cholesterol, and alcohol abuse.

The results suggested that — if all heightened risk factorscould be reduced to their “theoretical minimums” — total medicalcare expenses per person for all employees would be reduced byabout $650, or approximately 18%. The possible savings increasedwith age – up to 28% for older working adults, according to thestudy.

Although the maximum savings estimated are unlikely to beachieved immediately, the study noted that savings from workplacewellness programs could increase over time given that more eligiblewellness program members participate and effective control ofheightened risk factors improves.

The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicineis the publication of American College and Occupational andEnvironmental Medicine, an international society of 5,000occupational physicians and other health care professionals.