A study by researchers at Oregon State University found that the overwhelming majority of Americans do not live a healthy lifestyle. The study measured how people followed four healthy characteristics: moderate exercise, a good diet, not smoking and having a recommended body fat percentage.

The target for exercise was 150 minutes of moderate activity each week. Blood samples confirmed whether a person was a smoker, and body fat was measured using X-ray technology.

A good diet consisted of consuming foods suggested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Read Full Article

Remember, just because a product contains a sugar substitute does not necessarily mean it is calorie-free or even healthy.

With obesity rates skyrocketing and excess sugar in diets blamed as a major culprit, many people have turned to artificial sweeteners to satisfy their sweet tooth instead.

What is a sugar substitute?

A sugar substitute is a low-calorie sweetener or artificial sweetener. Sugar substitutes provide a sweet taste without the calories or carbohydrates that accompany sugar and other sweeteners. They are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar, so it takes much less of them to create the same sweetness. Therefore, the resulting calorie count is insignificant. This is why many dieters choose artificial sweeteners over sugar. Read More

In late March 2017, Republican leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives withdrew the American Health Care Act (AHCA)—their proposed legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Because the House was unable to pass the AHCA, the ACA remains current law, and employers must continue t comply with all applicable ACA provisions.

While the future of the ACA as a whole is currently unclear, some definitive changes have been made to some ACA taxes and fees for 2017. Employers should be aware of the evolving applicability of existing ACA taxes and fees so that they know how the ACA affects their bottom lines. Read More

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) plans to maintain its bipartisan strategic enforcement plan, despite recent White House changes.

According to EEOC Commissioner Chai Feldblum, who recently spoke at the Society for Human Resource Management’s legal conference, the EEOC plans to focus specifically on six priorities in the coming years. It also plans to focus its resources on topics and provide employers with further guidance on what the agency is looking into. Read Full article