Fitness should be a priority for business travelers
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
The rigors of regular business travel can take a toll on even the most seasoned road warriors. Executives who choose to fly business class, stay in corporate housing and eat well while traveling can still place their health at risk by engaging in frequent business trips. No matter whether they plan to stay in serviced apartments or corporate suites at chain hotels, executives should strive to make health and wellness a central part of their business travel experience, according to The New York Times.
Small changes, big difference
In today's competitive business world, many executives and frequent fliers simply do not have time to take care of themselves adequately while on the road. Although indulging in convenient food and skipping the gym in favor of an important meeting will not pose immediate health risks, doing so over long periods of time can have a cumulative effect on travelers' health. As such, the news source recommended that frequent fliers make small changes to their routines while traveling to maximize their downtime and stay fit on the road.
"Let's say you're traveling twice this month, a total of 18 days out of 30," Dianne Sykes Scope, a New York-based exercise physiologist, told the news source. "The days you're home, get in as many of your routine sessions as you can. It's really about burning calories over the month, so if you achieve your goals at home, then you don't have to worry while you're away. If you're gone for more than three or four days, though, you'll want to get in some exercise."
Lasting impact
Many business travelers want to do more to take care of themselves while on the road. However, few realize just how negatively frequent business trips can affect their health. According to Business Travel News, a study that was published in the "Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine" revealed health outcomes for frequent business travelers were significantly worse than those of people who traveled less often.
Researchers at Columbia University surveyed the medical records of 13,000 policyholders covered by EHE International's corporate wellness plan, and found that individuals who traveled for more than two straight weeks per month had the highest risk of health problems.
As a result, the report's authors urged companies to take the wellness of their employees into account when structuring business travel policies. Encouraging healthy dietary choices through tiered remuneration schemes and forming partnerships with accommodation providers that offer physical fitness centers were among the suggestions outlined by researchers.