Working on health

Fed up: Employers should play a part in encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, the survey found.

Australians are a long way from achieving the ultimate healthy lifestyle, according to new research from life insurance company AIA Australia. The research found that although Australians view health as very important, we fall short of other leading Asian nations.

The first AIA Healthy Living Index Monitor covered 15 Asia-Pacific markets, including 10,200 interviews from the general population, aged 18 to 65 years old, across all income and education groups. The research found adults in the more established markets of Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Australia and New Zealand acknowledge they need to do more to achieve a healthy lifestyle and that they are not particularly satisfied with their well-being. The Asia-Pacific health survey ranked Australia’s index score as 59 out of a possible 100; below the regional average of 61. At the lower end of the scale, Indonesia and Korea scored 55 and at the high end of the scale were Vietnam at 68 and Brunei scoring the highest ranking at 72.

Damien Mu, chief distribution and marketing officer at AIA Australia, says that what has become obvious is the need for everyone to take responsibility.

“Individuals, family members, partners and employers need to help break the cycle and consider the emotional and financial impact of unhealthy living on our families and loved ones,” he says.

Among the most critical health concerns across the Asia-Pacific region are obesity and weight issues. Nearly 80 per cent of Australians want to lose weight and more than 90 per cent of adults are concerned about obesity in the young. Fifty-five per cent of Australian adults admit they don’t exercise regularly, citing tiredness, (59 per cent) and being time-poor (53 per cent) as the main barriers.

The top three drivers of healthy living for Australians adults are eating healthier foods (64 per cent), the second is having sufficient sleep (63 per cent) and third, achieving good work-life balance (63 per cent). Another revealing statistic was that 68 per cent believe employers should do more to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

AIA Australian chief medical officer Pramodh Nathaniel says modern life is undeniably stressful. “We work hard at work, we work hard at home and we also need to work hard to be healthy and well,” he says. “More often than not, this means assessing our mental as well as physical health both at home and in the workplace.”

Nathaniel is encouraging workplaces to be more active in promoting healthy lifestyles. He says employers should ensure workloads are not excessive and they should provide free or subsidised medical check-ups and offer healthy food options in canteens.

“Perhaps the question of whether an employer is providing a healthy work environment should be added to [key performance indicators],” he says. “It’s a way of creating awareness and holding companies accountable.”

AIA has undertaken a number of initiatives to help promote a healthy lifestyle. In October this year, the company held its own healthy living expo, with expert-led stands on a variety of topics including nutrition, fitness, and mental and spiritual well-being. Two hundred and fifty employees attended the three-hour event, which included a free healthy lunch, free five-minute massages and the chance to join the cycle challenge. On the same day other AIA offices ran similar events throughout Australia.

“We had great participation by staff and while Australian companies might be thinking they can’t afford to encourage healthy living practices in the workplace, I’d argue they can’t afford not to,” Nathaniel says. “This expo is just one of a number of initiatives we have undertaken to make it easier for our employees to live healthier lifestyles. We’ll be looking to continue this event each year for the benefit of our employees, which in turn provides benefits for AIA and our customers.”

BRW

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