A New Research Initiative from The University of Tennessee
Manufacturing Research and Development Institute
The University of Tennessee Manufacturing Research and Development Institute (MRDI) invites your company to participate in a new research initiative. Researchers from the University's departments of Industriall and Information Engineering; Nutrition; and Health and Exercise Science with the assistance of MRDI, University Extension Service and the Knox County Health Department are preparing a research proposal to the U.S. Department of Agriculture seeking funding to study the impact of obesity on industrial productivity.
Recent press coverage of the emerging prevalence of obesity in the American society has heightened the national awareness of this problem. While most of the concerns expressed have been directed at the social and health aspects of obesity, there has been no mention of the potential impact on business, specifically on industrial outputs. More efforts are needed in promoting healthy eating habits and proper exercise to enhance not only health and social outlook, but also to enhance work productivity. A healthy population is a more productive population.
The basic goals of the research initiative are:
To determine how the health status of a worker, particularly obesity, can affect his or her industrial productivity.
To develop a comprehensive program of reducing obesity with a broad-based wellness program that includes both nutrition and physical activity interventions.
Participating companies and their employees could realize the following benefits:
A "low- to no-cost" worksite health promotion program that revolves around existing community resources.
Increased employee productivity.
Increased employee morale.
Opportunities for cost-savings, such as:
Reduced absenteeism due to illness.
Reduced disability claims.
Decreased and controlled health care utilization.
Decreased health benefit costs.
Fewer on-the-job accidents.
Participation in this program will be at no cost to your company or your employees.
We invite you to an informal meeting to learn more about this project. The meeting will consist of presentations by key researchers and an open question and answer session. The meeting will be held Friday, May 21 in room 400-A of the UT Conference Center Building located at 600 Henley Street in downtown Knoxville. A healthy continental breakfast will be ffered beginning at 8:00 AM. The meeting will begin at 8:30 AM and conclude at 11:30 AM. Parking in the Locust Street/UT Parking garage (click here for University map) will be provided at no cost.
For additional information or to RSVP for this meeting, please contact me either by phone at 865.974.9747 or by e-mail at william.hicks@tennessee.edu.
Sincerely,
William J. Hicks
Program Administrator