Healthy for Life, the T.E. Atkins University of Missouri Wellness Program, has the long-term goal of developing a world-class wellness program for the university. A steering committee and a work group were appointed in June of 2004, and the UM Board of Curators voted in December 2006 to extend the program from its pilot phase to UMH and the four campuses.

Mission Statement
To support the university’s teaching, research, service and economic development missions by aligning university health care resources to foster a vibrant, healthy climate in which university faculty, staff, retirees and students thrive and flourish.

University honored as Fit-Friendly Workplace

The University of Missouri’s Columbia campus for the second straight year was recognized as a Start! Fit-Friendly company, a prestigious award given by the American Heart Association.

The award is given to those workplaces that demonstrate a commitment to employees’ fitness by promoting a fit-friendly work setting.
Some examples include:

• Walking trails
• Healthy options in the cafeteria or vending machines
• Generating online newsletters
• Tracking tools
• Allowing staff to wear tennis shoes on designated Friday "sneaker days"

Many Americans spend most of their waking hours at work, and many are in sedentary careers — raising risk for a host of medical problems, including obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Employers face ever-increasing healthcare costs, such as $12.7 billion in annual medical expenses due to obesity alone, according to the American Heart Association.

By being a Fit-Friendly company, those costs will likely decrease — helping the company and its employees.

AHA promotes physical activity such as walking because it has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity. It's easy, free and fun to do.