They're taking long walks during their lunch breaks, enjoying healthier food from their cafeterias and commissaries, and keeping body and mind fit with yoga and Pilates.

And their employers, familiar Sacramento names from Sutter Health to VSP to McDonough, Holland and Allen, are leading the way with wellness programs designed to keep employees healthier, happier and more productive.

"It's all about prevention and identifying risk. There's no mandate (for employers) to do this. Their incentive is to get people healthier," said Leah Cox, executive director of the Davis-based California Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness.

The task force honored 10 Sacramento-area employers on Thursday with its annual Fit Business Award. They are the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Sutter Health, Vision Service Plan, the California Public Employees' Retirement System, the California School Boards Association, the Dairy Council of California, Kaiser Permanente – North Valley, Sutter Connect and Verizon Wireless.

The Sacramento law firm McDonough, Holland and Allen PC received a Fit Business Award gold medal.

The award, established in 2003, recognizes California employers that promote healthy workplaces. In all, 71 employers were honored statewide.

"A work-life balance is a positive attribute of a happy workplace," said Leanne Plante, a wellness coordinator at Rancho Cordova-based Vision Service Plan. "It enhances the bond with the company, and it sustains a healthy ethical compass."

The dramatic increase and the financial impact in recent years of inactivity, excess weight and obesity among Californians were the impetus for the award, said task force officials.

More than half of working-age Californians are overweight or obese. The health care and lost productivity costs associated with that for California and its counties have soared to upward of $41 billion – nearly twice the amount in 2000, according to the California Center for Public Health Advocacy.

The costs to Sacramento County alone reach $1.6 billion, according to the center. A number of innovative work-site wellness programs are aimed at slimming down and and shaping up the work force.

Some Sacramento-area examples:

• At eye care insurer VSP, employees attend monthly wellness workshops; participate in on-site yoga sessions and can purchase discounted memberships at 24-Hour Fitness locations, said wellness coordinator Plante. Employees have lost 4,900 pounds since the program was introduced in 2004.

• The McDonough, Holland and Allen law firm provides low-cost and free activity classes, including kickboxing and salsa dancing taught by employees; employee-led wellness walks; and cash incentives for participating in wellness activities.

• At health care administrator Sutter Connect, employees receive a comprehensive health risk assessment and access to Sutter's express care clinic. They can participate in a weight-loss program modeled after television's "The Biggest Loser."

Whatever the program, changing habits and being more active are keys to improving health and reducing costs, said McDonough attorney Marcia Augsburger, who helped develop the firm's wellness program.

"It's fascinating how very little lifestyle changes can make a difference. Minor changes in diet and exercise can have enormous effects," Augsburger said.

"Seventy-five percent of health care costs are attributable to things that can be avoided," she said. "If you can get these things under control, imagine how you can reduce that percentage of the dollar."

Call The Bee's Darrell Smith, (916) 321-1040.