Metabolic care: what is it and how is it shaping the future of employee wellness

In a rapidly evolving wellness landscape, metabolic health has taken center stage among employers due to the growing scientific evidence illuminating the deep connection between obesity and metabolic disease.

A 2019 research paper from the University of North Carolina found that just 12.2% of U.S. adults are considered metabolically healthy. Researchers also found that while more than two-thirds of normal-weight adults were metabolically unhealthy, figures rose to 92% and 99.5% for overweight and obese adults, respectively. To understand why, we first have to understand metabolic health itself.

When an individual has good metabolic health or is “metabolically healthy,” their body can effectively digest and absorb nutrients from the food they eat without causing significant spikes in vitals such as blood sugar, insulin, blood pressure, inflammatory markers, and more. This typically also means that the individual has blood glucose levels, triglycerides, cholesterol, and body weight counts that fall within what is considered a clinically “normal” range.

Optimal metabolic health matters for more than efficient absorption of nutrients, though. It also lowers a person’s risk of developing metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Over time, poor metabolic health can lead to chronic low-grade inflammation, cell damage, problems producing sufficient insulin, and weight gain.

For employers, the long-term impacts of poor metabolic health are of particular concern. The strain placed on the body by a metabolism that can’t function at its best leads to a higher chance of developing chronic conditions that could cause disability, loss of productivity, high claims costs, and more.

To respond to this growing challenge, employers must gain visibility into key points, such as:

1. The economic impact of metabolic disease
2. The importance of metabolic care in addressing obesity and its coexisting conditions
3. How to overcome common barriers to accessing personalized metabolic care

The economic impact of metabolic disease

Many of the costs that immediately come to mind in regard to metabolic health fall under the umbrella of direct costs. These often involve medical expenses such as diagnostic tests, treatments, and hospitalizations. These costs can be substantial, especially for individuals with obesity, which itself can be considered a metabolic disease.

In a recent report by Fierce Healthcare, UnitedHealth and HAC, an association that represents 230 self-funded employers, shared that health care costs, on average, were more than double for employees with obesity compared to those without this diagnosis.

• $973 per member per month costs for employees with obesity
• $421 per member per month costs for employees without obesity

For an employer group with 1,000 employees, 400 employees could potentially have an obesity diagnosis applying the 40% obesity rate among the U.S. population. In this scenario, an employer could experience $389K in monthly costs, or $4.67M in annual costs, as a result of obesity.

Indirect costs, on the other hand, may not be immediately obvious. They also may not manifest as dollar signs, but they can still substantially affect a business’s bottom line. Below are some common examples of indirect costs associated with poor metabolic health:

• Productivity loss
• Employee absenteeism
• Development of disability
• Early retirement
• Constraints on the labor force
• Invasive treatment procedures

As the percentage of metabolic diseases rises within your organization, so too will the strain they put on your bottom line.

The importance of metabolic care in addressing obesity and its coexisting conditions

A key challenge for employers is that many solutions follow a one-size-fits-all approach to the treatment and management of obesity and its coexisting conditions. A person’s metabolic health is deeply tied to genetics. In fact, 200 to 500 genes have been found to be tied to obesity. Therefore, to improve overall employee health, it is critical for organizations to provide access to a solution that prioritizes personalized treatments. Not doing so may result in unsustainable health outcomes for reasons including:

• Limited clinical expertise. Fewer than 1% of primary care providers in the U.S. hold a certification from the American Board of Obesity Medicine However, 79% of patients reported receiving a GLP-1 prescription from their PCP. This means anti-obesity medications, such as GLP-1s, are likely being prescribed by providers who don’t have the expertise to effectively treat obesity by targeting a patient’s genetic predispositions.
• Over-reliance on GLP-1s. Some existing weight loss solutions heavily rely on GLP-1s. This can lead to challenges such as low medication adherence rates, skyrocketing pharmacy costs, and medication shortages.
• Singular focus of care. Programs that focus on a single dimension of metabolic care, like exercise or nutrition, might fail to offer the holistic approach necessary to support employees in making appropriate lifestyle changes in the long term.

By implementing personalized interventions for metabolic health, employers can drive positive change for both employees and their bottom lines. We must also recognize that many benefits leaders have experienced point solution fatigue in recent years. As many organizations look to consolidate, personalized metabolic care programs present themselves as effective and comprehensive solutions.

How to overcome common barriers to accessing personalized metabolic care

The global workforce spends approximately one-third of each week at the workplace, according to a 2022 review and meta-analysis on the link between workplace environment and employee health. This means employers are uniquely positioned to provide access to care that supports overall employee health and creates an environment where employees can thrive.

When choosing a metabolic care program, it’s important to consider obstacles employees may face in accessing that care. Social determinants of health (SDOHs) play a role in the prevalence of obesity.

Studies show that obesity rates correlate with SDOH, particularly income. According to research by the Brookings Institution, the obesity rate is two times higher for adults with low-income status than for adults with high-income status. Even when employed, people might not be able to afford access to comprehensive weight care, especially if their treatments involve medications with high out-of-pocket costs, such as GLP-1s.

Virtual care solutions help bridge gaps by making high-quality metabolic care more accessible.

A new horizon for metabolic health with Found

Both obesity and overall metabolic health are deeply rooted in other chronic conditions. Obesity itself can be considered a form of metabolic disease, but it can also act as an independent risk factor for others, such as heart disease or type 2 diabetes.

To put things into perspective, upon joining the Found program, 25% of members already have one coexisting condition, and 73% have two or more. By working with our Care Teams, they are able to take back control over their health journey by experiencing sustainable health outcomes that lead to effective chronic condition management.

Found helps employers support metabolic health by igniting a culture of employee wellness that focuses on prevention, not reaction, through personalized metabolic care.

While the demand for GLP-1s has led to benefits leaders remaining cautious about coverage, Found can provide care to employee populations regardless of formulary coverage.

Our affiliated providers leverage a toolkit of 10+ medications, including non-GLP-1s as well as branded and compounded GLP-1s, the latter being a type of medication that is cost-effective and paid for by employees out-of-pocket, therefore not hitting an organization’s P&L and requiring the involvement of PBMs.

By adding Found as an employee benefit, enterprise businesses can experience cost savings across obesity-related conditions and overall population health. On average, members of the Found program experience a 4.3-point BMI reduction at 12 months. This decrease in BMI can lead to the following annual cost savings per employee:

• $3.2K+ in estimated savings for patients with diabetes
• $1.3K+ in estimated savings for patients with back pain
• $1.2K+ in estimated savings for patients with mental health disorders

Discover how Found’s metabolic care program can improve your population's overall health today. Connect with our team of experts here to learn more.

About Found

Found is one of the largest telehealth weight care providers in the U.S., having conducted over 1M clinical consults. Our mission is to help employers ignite a culture of employee wellness that prioritizes metabolic health by providing access to personalized care that transforms how obesity and diabetes are treated and managed.