In the past few years, many American companies have started making similar provisions for their employees, principally for their executives and those in white-collar jobs. Besides providing classes that feature guidance in proper nutrition and help for employees in stopping smoking, the General Foods Corporation included a sleek, in-house fitness center at its beautiful new corporate headquarters in Rye Brook, New York.

In 1979 Pepsico began a wellness program at its corporate headquarters in Purchase, New York. The program has since been put in operation in about a dozen of its other locations. The AT&T Communications Corporation has a similar program known as “Total Life Concept.” These company programs, besides monitoring physical exercise, include diet-weight management, nutrition instruction, and relaxation techniques.

Dr. Dennis L. Colacino, director of Pepsico’s program, noted that experts in various health fields are invited to give lectures to company employees on a wide range of health-related subjects. In the company cafeteria, he said, healthful eating is promoted by providing a calorie guide to the various foods. “We have a salad bar and a fruit bar. We make a choice available.”