How Georgia employers can help lower health costs and support better health for employees with obesity

By Dr. Stephen Palte

• Jan 30, 2026

Today, more than 40% of U.S. adults live with obesity, a condition closely tied to type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. In Georgia, 35% of adults live with obesity.

Combined with related metabolic conditions, employers see significantly higher health care spending for these employees. In fact, obesity by itself costs the U.S. health care system nearly $173 billion a year. 

At the same time, 61% of adults say they are currently trying to lose weight and many may be exploring whether GLP-1 medications are right for them. While these drugs hold promise, they come with cost and adherence challenges that should be taken into consideration.

Medications are not a silver bullet for obesity by themselves. Instead, a whole-person approach to weight management can help employees live healthier lives and remain more engaged.

Why Georgia employers should consider rethinking their approach

Obesity can be influenced by genetics, environmental factors, diet and exercise choices. Without the right support, many employees may struggle to make sustained progress towards their long-term weight loss goals.

Employers can help drive meaningful change by embedding evidence-based support into their existing benefits strategy.

Strategies Georgia employers can consider to help support employees

1. Understand your workforce

Claims data, health assessments and utilization trends can help show how obesity and related conditions like type 2 diabetes affect your workforce. Another important factor to understand is how social drivers of health may influence the health and well-being of employees. These insights can help inform more strategic benefit designs and better communications with employees.

2. Offer structured weight management support

Many employers are reevaluating how they support weight loss for the workforce, especially as interest in GLP-1 medications rises. Evidence shows these drugs work best when combined with healthy changes to diet, increased physical activity and side effect management. Employees who take weight loss medications may be more successful at achieving and maintaining their goals when they are part of a weight management program.

To help meet this need, some carriers — including UnitedHealthcare — now offer weight management programs that integrate lifestyle support with medication management. UnitedHealthcare’s Total Weight Support program is one example. Total Weight Support aims to address weight management and cost challenges for self-funded employers and their employees through a whole-person, evidence-based approach to weight loss that includes prior-authorization coverage for weight-loss medication for eligible members, along with support, education, and coaching.

 
3. Foster a healthier workplace environment

Small changes may have a big impact on employee health and well-being. Some options outside of your employer-sponsored benefits package to consider to help employees reach and maintain their health goals include: 

• Offering nutritious, minimally processed food options at meetings and events

• Encouraging walking meetings or mid-day movement

• Providing access to on-site or subsidized fitness facilities

• Promoting flexible schedules that support medical appointments or coaching sessions

4. Incentivize healthy habits.

Employees may be able to earn rewards through your health plan for activities like their annual wellness visit, getting certain preventive screenings, completing a health survey or certain healthy activities. These programs may help boost health plan engagement and improve health outcomes. 

UnitedHealthcare Rewards is one example of a program that allows employees to earn incentives for everyday healthy actions. The program is available to most employers with two or more employees with UnitedHealthcare fully insured or level funded plans nationwide at the start of their new plan year. Self-funded customers are also eligible to purchase the program.

The business case for a whole-person strategy

Obesity is not a niche issue — it affects a large portion of today’s workforce. Employers who approach weight management holistically may see:

• Improved employee health and well-being

• Higher employee engagement and morale

• Stronger retention and workplace satisfaction

A whole-person approach may help employees feel healthier, more confident and more supported in their daily lives.