HEALTH PLANS TO VEND MORE HEALTHY FOODS.

Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer

Fearing Californians have become dangerously fat, a group of health plans decided Tuesday to promote healthier eating habits through their vending machines.

Ten plans, including Thousand Oaks-based Blue Cross of California and Woodland Hills-based Health Net of California, pledged that half of their vending machine drinks and snacks will be healthy alternatives to sodas, chips and candy bars.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans rank as either overweight or obese, which costs California $28 billion annually in medical and related expenses, notes the Integrated Healthcare Association, which is promoting the vending machine alternative.

Limiting access to junk food represents one way to combat the epidemic, the trade group believes, and the next step is enlisting other businesses in the campaign.

In the same way that anti-smoking efforts spread voluntarily through workplaces, IHA hopes to slim down workers with fruit, nuts and water.

``We're getting fatter and we'll continue to get fatter, so we'll have more health problems,'' said Dr. Elaine Batchlor, chief medical officer of L.A. Care Health Plan, one of the plan's first adopters. ``More people will turn to things like surgery, be less healthy and spend more on our health care. We're starting to wake up, though, and are hearing the calls to action.''

Carrying around excess weight brings added risk of diabetes, heart failure, stroke and osteoporosis. By starting with the health plans, IHA's campaign first reaches 62,000 employees and 470 vending machines, adding apples and trail mix alongside doughnuts and ice cream bars.

``I don't think that we delude ourselves into thinking that just putting the healthful snacks out there will solve the problem,'' said Dr. Michael Belman, medical director of quality management for Blue Cross of California. ``The other snacks will still be there, but it's small steps that turn the tide.''

The campaign will also encourage companies to adopt officewide nutrition and exercise programs, such as weight loss contests and fitness competitions. Proponents say this will not only create a healthier work force, but will also reduce companies' medical costs and increase productivity in the future.

``This collaboration is a good example of the private sector health plans working together to create meaningful solution to the obesity problem,'' said Brad Kieffer, spokesman for Health Net of California, which is testing the program in-state before a possible nationwide implementation.

``You pick up any newspaper or watch any news show, you see this is on everyone's radar right now. It's an urgent situation.''

That urgency has not been lost on the vending machine stockers, either. Though Gail Cook, owner of Cook's Food and Beverage, a vending machine supplier in Canoga Park, knows a fair number of consumers will always reach for a Snickers bar when they want comfort, she's also stocking a lot more salads, containers of yogurt and granola bars these days.

``The vending industry is going toward healthier food, just like everyone else,'' she said. ``California's a health-oriented state, so we're all into keeping fat levels down and keeping things healthy as possible.''

Brent Hopkins, [phone]

brent.hopkins(at)dailynews.com

A Heavy Problem

Some risks, and costs, of being overweight.

--One-third of all premature deaths are related to poor diet and inactivity.

--Obesity-related expenses annually cost California $28 billion in direct medical costs, lost productivity, disability.

--The state's $7.7 billion in medical expenses rank highest in the country, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control.

--Related chronic illnesses include heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis.

--75 percent of all health care costs result from chronic illness.

Source: Integrated Healthcare Association

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A Heavy Problem (see text)

Source: Integrated Healthcare Association