September Turns Attention to Cholesterol Awareness, Prevention

September 21, 2012 - Provant Health Solutions

For many people, September marks the end of summer vacations and sending the kids back to school. For employers, September often signals the start of annual biometric health screenings for workers. High cholesterol is a health risk that can be identified, along with several other risks, through regular health screenings.

September is National Cholesterol Education Awareness Month, a designation the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute uses to draw attention to this health risk  that affects 71 million (1 in 3) adult Americans, most of whom (2 in 3) do not have it under control, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). High blood cholesterol is a major contributor to heart disease, the nation’s leading cause of death.

 “Lack of awareness is a key element in the prevalence of high cholesterol in Americans.  We have found that hundreds of thousands of workers that we screen each year are unaware that they have this health risk,” said Barbara Haydon, vice president of clinical services at Provant Health Solutions (Provant). “Once high cholesterol is detected and made known to an employee, we have seen a sizeable percentage of lifestyle changes by workers who decide to participate in exercise programs and/or nutritional health education. As people improve their health behaviors, their co-workers and families often make positive changes in their habits too. On some occasions during our screenings, we have actually detected employees who are having heart attacks and saved their lives. It truly pays for employers to incorporate regular screenings as part of their health benefit offerings.” 

The cost of heart disease is staggering. Cardiovascular disease costs the country $300 billion a year in direct medical tests alone. Treatment accounts for $1 in every $6 spent on healthcare, according to the CDC.

Learn more about how to manage high cholesterol  and other important health risks by calling 1.877.346.6696 or request information by completing this form. 

About Provant

Provant Health Solutions is a national, NCQA-accredited provider of customized worksite health and wellness strategies and services.  Founded in 2001, Provant reduces employee health risks using proven and affordable wellness solutions, which are provided to large and small businesses throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. Learn more at www.provanthealth.com.