44% want employer support to make healthy lifestyle changes

heart-healt_430Almost half (44%) of respondents would like their employer to help them make positive changes to their lifestyle, according to research by Bupa.

Its survey of 2,000 UK employees also found that 85% of respondents believe their productivity would increase if they were able to stick to positive lifestyle changes.

The research also found:

  • More than half (52%) of respondents struggle to maintain changes to their lifestyle for more than a few weeks.
  • 41% of respondents name a lack of willpower as a barrier to making long-term changes, and 40% say their busy lives prevent them from sticking with healthy lifestyle goals.
  • 48% of respondents think that wellbeing reviews would help them to lead a healthier lifestyle.
  • 73% choose to adapt their lifestyle to improve their physical health and 46% opt to do so for their mental health.
  • The top three steps respondents take to lead a healthier lifestyle are exercising more (65%), losing weight (61%) and cutting down their sugar intake (48%).

Dr Steven Luttrell, medical director at Bupa UK, said: “Clearly we all want to be healthier, but currently don’t feel supported to reach our goals and this means we are struggling to make our health resolutions stick.

“Improving the wellbeing of workers in the UK needs a proactive effort, yet unfortunately many employers are failing to see the value of health and wellbeing initiatives. By supporting staff to make positive lifestyle changes, employers can also benefit from healthy and productive workforce.”