HOUSTON (April 10, 2008) —Houston city and business leadership and local medical experts recently unveiled a new "Know Your Numbers" Wellness Station downtown, in an effort to promote health awareness and give Houston’s downtown workforce access to quick, free health information. The new wellness station is located on the tunnel level of 611 Walker, the City of Houston’s Bob Lanier Public Works Building. It is the second of four stations coming online by the end of 2009.

Leadership from the City of Houston, Waste Management, Inc., Kelsey-Seybold Clinic and the Kelsey Research Foundation celebrated the official opening of the new wellness station. In just five minutes – confidentially and at no charge – visitors can know the numbers that help keep them healthy, including blood pressure and body mass index (BMI). Information is stored safely and securely online for convenient access and confidential tracking at www.lifeclinic.com.

Nearly one in three American adults—about 72 million people—have high blood pressure and approximately 119 million, or 64.5%, of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese. Many are unaware of health problems because they don’t experience any symptoms and may not make preventive health a priority. In May 2007, Waste Management, Kelsey-Seybold and the Kelsey Research Foundation installed the first kiosk at the tunnel level under First City Tower, downtown, to encourage workers to know their numbers and associated health risks. Since installment, more than 12,000 visitors have checked their health numbers for weight, body mass index, body fat and blood pressure. As of first quarter 2008, 50 percent of visitors were found to have elevated blood pressure, putting them at significant risk for hypertension. Thirty-two percent were overweight and 22 percent were obese for their height and sex based on their body mass index.

Cutting Health Risks: Business, health care and civil leadership team up to offer downtown workers a free and easy way to monitor and reduce their health risks. Left to right: Bill Cole, safety officer, Waste Management; Dr. Kenneth Kennedy, managing physician and Family Medicine physician, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic – Houston Center; Candy Aldridge, acting director of Human Resources, City of Houston; and Dr. Ben Hoffman, chief medical officer, Waste Management cut the ribbon and officially open the newest Know Your Numbers Wellness Station on April 9.

Leading by example, Candy Aldridge, acting director of human resources for the City of Houston, takes five to check her blood pressure and body mass index, while Dr. Ben Hoffman, chief medical officer for Waste Management, awaits his turn to check and know his own health numbers.

Photo Credit: Gus Salinas

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About Kelsey-Seybold Clinic
Kelsey-Seybold Clinic is Houston’s premier community-based physician group, founded in 1949 by Dr. Mavis Kelsey in Houston’s famous Texas Medical Center. Kelsey-Seybold offers the services of more than 300 physicians in over 40 medical specialties. The Clinic’s 18 Houston-area locations offer convenience to patients close to home and work. Kelsey-Seybold has proudly served the National Aeronautics and Space Administration since 1966 and today provides medical services on-site at the Johnson Space Center, the White Sands Test Facility and in Moscow. Kelsey-Seybold Clinic is part of the St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System.

About Waste Management
Waste Management, based in Houston, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Our subsidiaries provide collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. We are also a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. Our customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America.

About the Kelsey Research Foundation
The Kelsey Research Foundation’s mission to improve the quality of patient care and health outcomes through research and education began more than a half-century ago. Today, the Kelsey Research Foundation is focused on health services and outcomes research, partnering with physicians, hospitals and universities, as well as the local research community, to improve the quality of patient care and health outcomes. The Foundation is supported by generous contributions of current and former patients of Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, local and national foundations, individuals, and companies concerned with improved health care delivery in the Houston area.

About Lifeclinic
Lifeclinic was established in 1976 as Vita-Stat Medical Services, Inc. Since then, it has grown to be the world’s largest supplier of commercial, automated, health kiosks. Lifeclinic health kiosks can be found in over 30,000 pharmacies and 4,000 company and organizational wellness centers worldwide, accounting for 500 million blood pressure measurements annually. Lifeclinic health kiosk and management systems encourage individuals to take an active role in their health care and provide corporate management with the tools to help reduce costs while simultaneously improving the health of individual employees. Lifeclinic health kiosks can be found throughout the United States and many other countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.lifeclinic.com for more information.