Over 1.3 Million Members Participate in the Vitality Health Enhancement Program in the U.S.

CHICAGO, Feb. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Vitality Group, part of the world's largest and longest standing incentive-based wellness program, announced that the Vitality program has reached a milestone of more than one million members in the U.S. who are adopting new behaviors to live healthier lives. Vitality's global actuarial and clinical model has been implemented by a growing number of U.S. employers committed to improving the health and well being of their employees, in addition to their bottom line.

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"Vitality is a key element of our overall benefits offering to provide our employees with the tools and support to be healthy and more productive," said Sean Nelson, vice president, Global Talent Management and HR Shared Services, ACCO Brands, one of the world's largest suppliers of branded office products. "Vitality's incentive model has been a motivating factor for all of our employees and I've personally benefitted as a result of participation, losing more than 50 pounds due to the resulting healthy lifestyle changes."

Private and public entities and industries from across the U.S understand that creating a culture of wellness can control medical and pharmacy costs, enhance employee health and satisfaction, decrease absenteeism and presenteeism, and increase productivity and profitability. 

"We celebrate this milestone of more than one million Vitality members who are focused on improving their health," said Arthur C. Carlos, CEO of The Vitality Group. "By using Vitality's verifiable and comprehensive wellness program, employees are motivated to make positive behavior changes such as getting preventive screenings, exercising more, eating well and quitting smoking."

How Vitality Works
The process of earning rewards is simple. Members start with an online Health Risk Assessment that identifies relative risk factors for each member and provides them with their Vitality Age™. This is a scientifically calculated representation of their risk-adjusted or "true" age, allowing each member to easily understand how their current behaviors are impacting their health.

Next, each member is presented with a recommended set of activities and goals to assist them in improving their health. Members can select from more than 30 health-related activities including exercising, achieving health goals such as losing weight or stopping smoking, receiving routine preventive care, such as a prostate exam or mammogram, and participating in a health education program. Members are incentivized for their participation throughout the program and earn Vitality Bucks® redeemable for merchandise on the Vitality Mall™.

About The Vitality Group
The Vitality Group is a member of Discovery Holdings Limited. Vitality wellness programs serve more than 3.5 million members worldwide in companies in a wide range of sizes and industry categories, improving individuals' health and well-being as well as employers' bottom lines. In America, numerous forward-thinking companies are joining global organizations in the United Kingdom and South Africa who together are proving the effectiveness of the Vitality health enhancement solution in reducing healthcare costs. www.thevitalitygroup.com

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Arthur Carlos
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SOURCE The Vitality Group