CHICAGO, IL--(January 21, 2016) - Retrofit, Inc. and Kurbo Health today announced that they will collaborate to help entire families lose weight and become healthier. Retrofit is a leading provider of weight-management solutions for adults while Kurbo is the only safe and effective weight-management platform for kids and teens. This partnership joins the outcomes-based programs to build on their respective success with these distinct, yet interrelated populations.
"Employers and health plans now have access to an aligned program that spans the continuum of weight-management solutions necessary for both children and adults," said Mary Pigatti, Retrofit CEO. "This will allow us to not only transform lives and workplaces, but also entire families."
Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled, and today, nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese while more than two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese.
"Family dynamics and lifestyle contribute to weight gain. If a parent is overweight and has poor diet and exercise habits, the child is likely to adopt the same habits," said Joanna Strober, Kurbo CEO and founder. "Offering programs that encourage healthy behaviors for the entire family will make both kids and parents more likely to be successful with weight loss."
Approximately one-third of large employer beneficiaries are dependents under the age of 25, and children and adolescents are responsible for 15 percent of a typical large employer's health-care costs. Obese children are twice as likely to need medical care and typically have health expenses three times higher than non-overweight children while obese adults spend 42 percent more on direct health-care costs than adults who are a healthy weight.
The annual health-care cost of obesity in the U.S. has doubled in less than a decade and is estimated to now be as high as $147 billion a year. Obesity costs U.S. businesses more than $13 billion annually in health insurance claims, paid sick leave and disability and life insurance, according to the American Journal of Health Promotion. In addition, indirect costs associated with childhood obesity stem from parents' lost productivity and engagement during the workday.
The Retrofit and Kurbo partnership offers a unified approach for employers and health plans to reverse the obesity epidemic and its spiraling costs. Clients will receive the personalized attention of a live coach and food and activity tracking through a smart dashboard or mobile app. Adults also will have access to expert-led interactive classes and social support from an online community.
