Our nation’s determined band of wellness revolutionaries has rallied around a wonderfully succinct and effective policy slogan: Make the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice.

In the context of promoting physical activity, the “easy choice” varies depending on the environment. At the workplace, for example, the “easy choice” might mean taking an authorized exercise break during the day, using a treadmill desk, or conducting walking meetings. At home, the “easy choice” could be a stroll along a well-lit and safe walking path leading to a marketplace.

As more and more policymakers consider whether their decisions make it easier or harder for Americans to make the “healthy choice,” the barriers to exercise will be chiseled down, and we will become a more active nation.

But I would like to add a parenthetical to strengthen the slogan.

Something like this: Make the Healthy Choice, the Easy (and Happy) Choice

In many cases, it’s not enough to create an “easy choice,” if the “easy choice” will not add happiness to the chooser’s life. For example, IHRSA (my employer) could install a 30-foot climbing wall inside my cubicle, but as someone whose blood pressure increases rapidly the further my shoes get from the ground, I would never climb the wall because climbing it would detract mightily from my happiness.  IHRSA couldn’t make it any easier, but I still wouldn’t do it.

Now, of course, “happiness” is a complex emotion, and there may be as many forms of happiness are there are people on the planet (e.g. here are plenty of happy things related to physical activity), but there are some basic human tendencies to consider when crafting “the easy (and happy) choice.”

1. Sometimes we want to go where everybody knows our name.

The secret weapon of many successful health clubs is the friendly front-desk person who seems genuinely pleased to see you and greets you by name. It’s nice to feel welcomed and valued. That quick interaction makes us feel happy and more likely to seek out a similar interaction in the future.

2.  Exercise is easier with a buddy or two (or ten…)

A long, lonesome walk can be inspiring, but it can also just be long and lonesome. On the other hand, a long talk with a buddy on a walking trail can fly right by, and satisfy a common need for social engagement (not just the kind over a network) and physical activity. For many people, easy choices are made easier when buddies are involved.  

3. Aesthetics matter

A treadmill desk in a dank office with peeling paint is a crummy option. Sure, it might provide easy access for time-saving physical activity, but it’s a downer, and not likely to put on many miles. A climate-controlled office, however, full of fun pictures, perhaps of employees or the local sports heroes, can be a happy place, and happy places compel return visits.

What are some other ways we can inject more happiness into the easy choices?

One of the nation's greatest public health policy successes of the past ten years may be the widespread implementation of corporate wellness policies.

In fact, a recent notice from the Federal government states, "The Departments believe that appropriately designed wellness programs have the potential to contribute importantly to promoting health and preventing disease." In this case, "the Departments" refer to the US Department of Health and Human Services, the US Department of Labor, and the US Department of the Treasury.

The same notice reports that "wellness programs have become common among employers in the United States...[and] overall, employers largely report that workplace wellness programs are delivering on their intended benefit of improving health and reducing costs."

So, how are corporate wellness programs promoting physical activity?

According to a recent survey by Kaiser/HRET, 30% of all firms surveyed offer gym memberships or provide an onsite fitness facility. This includes 64% of large employers.

The importance of promoting physical activity as a core component of a corporate wellness program was underscored recently by a study published in the November 2012 issue of Health Affairs, which found that employer health care costs are 15.3% higher for physically inactive employees than active employees.

But persuading employees to adopt healthier behaviors, such as regular physical activity, can be exceedinly challenging and simply offering gym memberships or building an onsite fitness center is not likely to convert many employees from inactive to active.

"The key to success," says Bryan O'Rourke, IHRSA member and CEO of Integerus, "is a combination of facility design, and more importantly, an organizational commitment to a comprehensive wellness program."

And that commitment, according to fitness industry experts, must significantly impact the corporate culture.

"The percentage of participation of the workforce that participates in a wellness program or company-built fitness facility is really dependent on the company culture," notes Vaughn Marxhausen, Area General Manager for Houstonian Lite. "This culture starts at the top and filters down. It is usually difficult to increase participation or grow a program, if the culture of wellness is not present." I highly recommend his "The 3 Ps of Participation" strategy.

In this excellent video, Christine Thalwitz, Director of Communications & Research at ACAC Fitness & Wellness Centers, discusses specific strategies for creating a culture of wellness. The video is a must-see for any fitness company interested in corporate wellness.

From a corporate policy perspective, the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity's CEO Pledge, which not only confirms a CEO's commitment to providing a supportive environment for employee physical activity, but also asserts the CEO's own intent to be physically active, may also be one of the most meaningful and effective strategies for creating a corporate culture of wellness.

"With most working adults spending roughly half their waking hours on the job on the days that they work, it is incumbent upon business and industry leaders to become part of the solution," says IHRSA President/CEO and CEO Pledge signer, Joe Moore. "By promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyles within the workplace, CEOs help their company's bottom line, but they also help society."

A thrilling new initiative of the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), "GO the EXTRA MILE with NIHB" greatly expands the reach of the National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP).

NIHB Executive Director, Stacey Bohlen, described GO the EXTRA MILE in a recent letter to tribal representatives.

"The GO the EXTRA MILE initiative is a result of the NIHB signing the CEO pledge, which is part of a national campaign to encourage Executive Directors to commit to supporting and fostering a physically-active workplace. NIHB's GO the EXTRA MILE initiative achieves these goals by creating a workplace that supports physical activity for every member of its staff. Through the GO the EXTRA MILE with NIHB initiative, we will provide 30 staff minutes during the workday to walk one mile each day for a year. We will aggregate these miles and 'virtually' walk to each of the 12 Indian Health Service Areas, either to an Area Indian Health Board or to a Tribal Partner in Areas that do not have a Board."

The letter also invites the tribal representatives to sign the CEO Pledge - originally developed for the NPAP and now championed by the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity (NCPPA) - and take advantage of the GO the Extra Mile website, which will include a toolkit, electronic mapping, and access to information from the Association of American Indian Physicians.

The need for the initiative is urgent. According to NIHB, the age-adjusted incidence of Type 2 diabetes is higher among Amercian Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) than all other US racial and ethnic groups. Furthermore, the adult obesity rate among the AI/AN population is 39%, while the inactivity rate is over 50%.

IHRSA applauds NIHB for elevating the importance of physical activity and creating such an innovative initiative to dovetail with the CEO Pledge. We are hopeful that the leadership of NIHB and others will inspire novel outreach efforts across the country and deep into every segment of the population. Clearly, our national approach to addressing the sedentary criss must be judged, in great part, by its effectiveness in reaching the communities most impacted.

Above: NCPPA Executive Team takes CEO Pledge

About the CEO Pledge

The CEO Pledge is an evidence-based national campaign promoted by NCPPA to encourage every CEO in the United States to recognize physical activity as an important driver of employee health and business performance. Studies of employee wellness programs consistently find that executive leadership is critical to employee engagement. If employees believe that creating a culture of physical activity is an executive priority, employees are more likely to be physically active.