Nearly 40,000 People Call on U.S. Employers to Provide Better Obesity Care in the Workplace

The EveryBODY Covered campaign’s petition demonstrates the widespread demand for comprehensive, evidence-based obesity care benefits, building on an open letter sent to top workplaces for women earlier this year 

November 4, 2025 (Washington, DC) —The Alliance for Women’s Health and Prevention’s (AWHP) EveryBODY Covered campaign today announced that its petition advocating for comprehensive obesity care coverage has garnered almost 40,000 signatures from individuals across the country.  

The petition calls on American employers to ensure their employees have coverage for the full range of obesity care options – including FDA-approved medications, behavioral interventions, bariatric surgery and nutrition services. This represents a powerful collective voice demanding change in how businesses support their employees living with obesity. 

“Behind each of these signatures is an individual who understands the challenges of living with obesity without adequate insurance coverage – either shaped by personal experience or that of a colleague or loved one,” said Millicent Gorham, CEO of AWHP. “Obesity is a chronic, yet treatable, disease that has a significant impact on Americans – particularly women – throughout their lives. By offering coverage for comprehensive obesity care, employers can improve overall workforce health, increase productivity and, ultimately, save money.”  

Despite obesity being recognized as a serious chronic disease associated with over 200 health complications, a misunderstanding of the disease has led many health plans to exclude or limit coverage for comprehensive care. This coverage gap carries real financial consequences for working women as those living with obesity earn 9% less than women with a healthy weight and are less likely to be promoted at work. Further, research shows that women ages 51-61 with moderate to severe obesity have a 40% lower financial net worth compared to their peers.  

In March 2025, the EveryBODY Covered campaign delivered an open letter to executives at top workplaces for women, calling for obesity care to be prioritized in their workplace. Both the letter and this petition outline three key principles employers should use as a guide for prioritizing obesity in their workplace and equity strategies:  

1. Recognize obesity as a chronic disease with causes that include those outside of an individual’s control.   
2. Review benefits offerings for opportunities to better support obesity care for employees and communicate coverage as a priority to benefits administrators.  
3. Work against weight bias at every level of the company and make sure that this is demonstrated through the company’s culture.  

“Employers must recognize that implementing comprehensive obesity care isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s an investment in a healthier, more productive workforce,” said Cassie Maxwell, an EveryBODY Covered advocate from West Virginia. “As a working mom who has experienced losing coverage for FDA-approved obesity management medications, the significant support for this petition represents my perspective and those of thousands of other working women who are calling on their employers to provide the support we need to thrive in both our professional and personal lives.”  

This milestone comes as the campaign continues to build momentum by engaging employees, employers, insurers and policymakers in conversations about the importance of treating obesity with the same rigor as other chronic diseases.  

EveryBODY Covered launched in February 2024 as a nationwide effort and works in partnership with 30 partner organizations to ensure that everybody has coverage for needed obesity care, including FDA-approved medications.

To learn more about EveryBODY Covered, please visit everybodycovered.org and follow the campaign on LinkedIn, X @everybodycvrd, Facebook and Instagram @everybodycovered. 

Support for the EveryBODY Covered campaign has been provided by Eli Lilly & Company. 

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About AWHP 

The Alliance for Women’s Health and Prevention is a non-partisan 501(c)(4) non-profit organization working to ensure that all women and girls have access to high-quality preventive care. Our mission is to advance policy that drives equitable access and prevents the burden and progression of disease to improve the lives and health of all women and girls. 

For more information on AWHP, please visit WomensHealthandPrevention.org and follow us on LinkedIn and X @AWHPOrg.