Pharmacy giant CVS has told workers in the Bay Area and around the nation to reveal their weight and other health information, or pay extra for health coverage.

The company announced Wednesday what it called “A Plan for Health,” that features a mix of rewards and penalties for employees.

Among the measures, employees must report their weight, body fat, cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Workers must also be tobacco free or enroll in an addiction program by next year.

Employees who refuse will have to pay $50 more for health coverage each month, totaling $600 a year.

In a video released by CVS, a top executive said the plan is progressive and cutting edge. “These changes aren’t just about costs, they’re about us, each of us taking personal accountability for our own health,” said Lisa Bissacia, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer.

“(CVS Executives) better get some pretty good legal counsel and decide whether your policy is really legal, because the policy as announced is not legal,” said Richard Schramm, a Bay Area employment lawyer.

Schramm told KPIX 5 the company is trying to tell employees what they can and can’t do on their off time.

CVS Ordering Workers To Reveal Weight, Health Info « CBS San Francisco

The study, conducted at Pennsylvania State University, reportedly found that eating poorly not only worsens moods, it also doesn’t do much to alter moods positively before or during meals.

“There was little in the way of mood changes right before the unhealthy eating behaviors,” said Kristin Heron, Ph.D., research associate at the Survey Research Center at PSU was quoted as saying by PsychCentral. “However, negative mood was significantly higher after these behaviors.”

The negative emotions experienced after treats are said to be primarily connected to concerns regarding body image and maintaining a proper diet.

Researchers reportedly collected data for the study by asking 131 women with unhealthy eating habits and self-image concerns – but who did not exhibit signs of an eating disorder – to travel with handheld computers that prompted the participants several times daily to answer questions about dietary choices and mood at a given time.

Study co-author Joshua Smyth, professor of biobehavioral health, was quoted as saying by PyschCentral, “This study is unique because it evaluates moods and eating behaviors as they occur in people’s daily lives, which can provide a more accurate picture of the relationship between emotions and eating.”

Study: Comfort Food Could Worsen Mood « CBS Atlanta

We’ve all heard the saying, ‘you are what you eat’, and now some believe food choices may actually contribute to anger and violent behavior. Jeff Resnick believes it; he even knows what sets him off. “I can get irritable, absolutely, when I’ve had too much of the carbs,” he said.

Nutritionist Nicolette Pace says carbs can make you feel good, but it doesn’t last. “They don’t give your body what you need to cope with day-to-day stresses,” she said.  Pace agrees that there is a connection between anger and food. “Deficiencies in nutrients, magnesium or manganese, vitamin C, or some B vitamins may make a person hyperactive towards a stressor, a short fuse so to speak,” she explained.

Pace and other nutritionists say if you eat plenty of fish, eggs, beans, fruits and green leafy vegetables, you should have the nutrients you need. However, people who tend to eat a diet loaded with processed or packaged foods could find themselves more easily irritated.

Dr. Drew Ramsey says it’s all about the brain. “The gears just don’t run as well, so you are going to feel more irritable,” he said. According to Ramsey, without the proper nutrients, the body can’t make chemicals like serotonin which is necessary for clear thinking and good mood.

Experts Say Food May Contribute To Anger, Violent Behavior « CBS Boston