American Heart Association has recognized Huntsville Hospital as a Platinum-Level Fit-Friendly Worksite. CONTRIBUTED

HUNTSVILLE – American Heart Association has recognized Huntsville Hospital as a “Platinum-Level Fit-Friendly Worksite.” Huntsville Hospital is the only hospital in Alabama to earn the designation.

Huntsville Hospital is among only seven businesses in Alabama that the heart association recognized for 2016. The honor results from helping employees eat better and move more.

“Physical activity and employee wellness are important priorities for us,” Huntsville Hospital Health System CEO David Spillers said. “We’re committed to providing the best workplace environment possible. This will benefit our employees’ health and produce even more positive results for our hospital overall.”

To earn Platinum Fit-Friendly Worksite status, companies had to satisfy several points:

* Offer employees physical activity options in the workplace.

* Increase healthy eating options at the worksite.

* Promote a wellness culture at work.

* Implement at least nine criteria that the American Heart Association outlines in the areas of physical activity, nutrition and culture.

* Document measurable outcomes related to workplace wellness.

Huntsville Hospital employees have access to a number of fitness- and wellness-related programs. These options include indoor and outdoor walking trails, discounted memberships to the Wellness Center, free in-house health coaching, nutrition classes, free biometric screenings and healthy food options in the cafeteria.

American Heart Association strives to motivate employees to start walking, which has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity.

“Even people who haven’t exercised regularly until middle age can reap significant benefits by starting a walking program,” Stephanie Cline said. Cline works as Heart Walk Director for American Heart Association’s North Alabama office.

For most American workers, the lack of regular physical activity raises risks for a numerous medical problems, like obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Huntsville Hospital Health System includes hospitals in Huntsville, Madison, Athens, Decatur, Moulton, Red Bay, Sheffield, Russellville, Haleyville and Winfield. This network is the third largest publicly owned hospital system in the nation.

For more information, visit heart.org/worksitewellness or huntsvillehospital.org.