NATIONAL PARK COMMUNITY COLLEGE
PRESS RELEASE

NPCC Biggest Loser Walks the Talk

Janet Brewer, Human Resources Director for National Park Community College (NPCC), spoke recently at the Arkansas Association of Two Year Colleges (AATYC) conference on how to “Bring Healthy Back to (School) Campuses.”

Brewer, who has lost 60-plus pounds and went from a size 14 to a size 4, discussed how 81 participants have lost a combined 1,155 pounds in 16 months through a Biggest Loser program she helped implement on the NPCC campus.

Brewer said that through a partnership with Fitness Zone, a local fitness club, NPCC offered employees and students the opportunity to be part of a Biggest Loser program (modeled after the TV show) that offered weekly fitness and nutrition classes. Now, over a year later, employees are still exercising together both in and out of work and fitness classes. The NPCC Fitness Team, a group of competitive runners, and the NPCC Walkers are also a result of the program. Many who participated in the Biggest Loser program have reported an exercise rate increase from zero times per week to now three or more days per week with a minimum of 30 minutes of cardio exercise.

The success of the program can be measured not only in weight lost by individuals but also in a decrease in sick leave, reduced cholesterol levels, and reduction in medications. Brewer said that NPCC health benefits loss ratio went from 152.90% to 25.80% - the lowest ever for NPCC. “We are currently ranked as the lowest loss ratio in the Arkansas Higher Education Consortium,” said Brewer. Recent statistics show 30% of Arkansas’ State Employees are categorized as obese. As a result of the success of the NPCC program, Brewer has been contacted by the Employee Benefits Division who administers the State Health Insurance Plan for all state employees and public schools for information about the program.

Arkansas is ranked number one in stroke mortality and seven out of every ten deaths in the state are due to chronic disease that could have been prevented. Brewer cited that for every $1 spent in wellness, a company will save from $3.50 to $5.93.

Brewer’s presentation at AATYC has encouraged other campuses to take a look at their employee health programs. Northwest Arkansas Community College and ASU Newport have contacted Brewer about the possibility of copying the NPCC wellness program at their campuses. For more information regarding the program, Brewer can be reached at: jbrewer@npcc.edu or 501.760.4221.