SAN FRANCISCO, March 5, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Healthyroads and six downtown San Francisco organizations have reported significant results by participating in the 2009 San Francisco Healthyroads(r) Walk-the-Talk Challenge. Healthyroads, the wellness and prevention management services subsidiary of American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH), organized and facilitated the challenge for Aon, Arlen Group, Heffernan Insurance Brokers, Hewitt Associates, Presidio Benefits Group, and Willis.
The participating companies were challenged to a friendly step competition to see which organization could walk the most steps in 25 days and improve the health of employees in the process. Each participant contributed a small copay to receive Healthyroads high-tech activity monitors that helped them track their physical activity. The competitors had access to the various tools and step-tracking capabilities on Healthyroads.com(tm), as well as free admission to Equinox, a local fitness club, for the duration of the contest. And, to further motivate employees and foster interest in the challenge, Healthyroads helped each business organize walk/run clubs and hosted onsite education classes such as "Fitting Fitness into a Busy Schedule."
Overall, the 136 participants walked a total of 23,683,601 steps (approximately 9,000 miles). That's almost like walking across the country three times! Though the group as a whole had impressive results, individual participants reached significant milestones as well. One man racked up close to a million steps, in fact!
Heffernan Insurance Brokers, one of the largest independent insurance brokerage firms in the United States, was recognized as the corporate winner, achieving an average of 260,145 steps throughout the 25 day challenge.
"In light of recent obesity trends and the escalating cost of health care, we are delighted to see organizations embracing wellness initiatives like the Healthyroads Walk-the-Talk Challenge," said Pamela Lauper, ASH's chief sales officer and executive vice president. "The fact that these firms were willing to help improve the health of their employees with our programs clearly shows their commitment to wellness and employee engagement.'"
The challenge was developed by Healthyroads' Wellness Consulting Services team and implemented by ASH's group sales team. This and several other wellness initiatives are offered by Healthyroads to employer group clients to help them motivate their employees to live active and healthier lives with the goal of improving employee morale, lowering illness-related absenteeism, and lowering employer health care costs.
About Healthyroads
Healthyroads, Inc. is the health improvement and wellness subsidiary of American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH). Healthyroads offers a wide range of wellness solutions -- including award-winning telephone-based coaching programs for weight management, tobacco cessation, and healthy living, and products and resources through its integrated Web site, Healthyroads.com.
ASH provides specialty network management programs, fitness programs, lifestyle health coaching and healthy behavior incentives, Internet solutions, and worksite wellness and prevention programs to health plans, insurance carriers, employer groups, and trust funds nationwide.
Based in San Diego, ASH has over 680 employees and covers 15.3 million members in specialty network management, fitness, and wellness and prevention programs. For more information, visit ASH online at ASHCompanies.com or call 800.848.3555.