In the latest episode of The Health Literacy 2.0 Podcast, host Seth Serxner welcomes renowned preventive medicine expert Dr. David Katz for a profound discussion on the root causes of chronic disease, the power of nutrition, and the challenge and importance of true health literacy.

A trailblazer in public health and nutrition, David has spent over 30 years as an academic physician, researcher, and founding director of Yale's Prevention Research Center. Board-certified in both internal and preventive medicine, he’s dedicated his career to translational research - turning what we already know about health into real-world action - and to advancing our understanding of how lifestyle choices, especially diet, account for the vast majority of premature death and chronic disease.

Seth Serxner and Dr. David Katz also discuss:

• Root Causes, Not Just Symptoms: Most chronic diseases can be traced to modifiable behaviors, especially tobacco use, poor diet, and physical inactivity, rather than their presenting medical diagnoses 03:01.
• Diet as a Leading Killer: Today, poor diet has overtaken tobacco as the number one cause of premature death in the U.S., responsible for over 500,000 deaths annually 10:35.
• The Misguided System: Our healthcare model is like lining up ambulances below Humpty Dumpty’s wall—far too reactive, fixing people after the fall rather than preventing the damage in the first place 08:31.
• Making Diet Measurement Easy: Dr. David Katz developed Diet ID, a novel, image-based tool that lets anyone quickly and easily assess their diet quality through pattern recognition, making nutritional assessment scalable and user-friendly 16:27.
• Skill Power Over Willpower: The current food environment works against healthy eating; it’s not just about willpower, but about building the skills to navigate an unhealthy culture 21:27.
• Behavior Change Science: The path to better eating is rooted in proven behavioral strategies, including small, individualized changes and an understanding of emotional and social eating cues 22:08.
• Diet Quality as a Vital Sign: Just as we routinely track blood pressure, diet quality should be an essential health metric, but the right tools are needed to make it happen 14:28.
• Consensus Over Confusion: Through the True Health Initiative, Dr. David Katz brings together leading experts across nutrition philosophies to agree on the core fundamentals: real food, mostly plants, and moderation, cutting through the noise of dietary debate 26:33.
• Health of People and Planet: Individual health cannot be separated from planetary health; the choices we make about food impact not just our own well-being, but the earth itself 31:25.

As misinformation spreads and wellness challenges continue to mount, this episode is a call to action: empowering people with real knowledge, practical tools, and a sense of agency to build healthier lives - and a healthier world.

Learn About EdLogics

Want to see how EdLogics' gamified platform can boost health literacy, drive engagement in health and wellness programs, and help people live happier, healthier lives?

Visit the EdLogics website: www.edlogics.com.

Get Seth's Book

Check out The Wellbeing Effect by Seth Serxner.

In this episode of The Health Literacy 2.0 Podcast, host Seth Serxner welcomes Brian Oss, Head of Solutioning at Calm, for a deep dive into the evolving landscape of workforce health literacy, behavioral health, and digital mental health solutions.

Calm is a leading mental health company on a mission to support everyone on every step of their mental health journey. Our flagship consumer app - ranked #1 in its category with over 180 million downloads and available in seven languages across nearly 190 countries - helps people sleep better, stress less, and live more mindfully through content and tools from experts and beloved celebrity voices.

Since their launch, they’ve expanded their offerings with Calm Sleep, an app providing deeper, personalized sleep support, and Calm Health, an evidence-based digital solution offered through employers, health plans, and providers to expand access, boost benefits engagement, and drive positive health outcomes.

Today, Calm supports more than 3,500 organizations and reaches over 26 million covered lives through Calm Health.

Brian leads solutioning to address some of the toughest challenges in behavioral health.

Brian and Seth discuss:

• Career Paths Are Not Linear: Both Brian and Seth highlight the importance - and inevitability - of nontraditional career journeys in health and wellness leadership.
• Cost and Access as Top Challenges: Controlling costs while increasing access to mental and behavioral health care remains a leading concern for employers and health plans.
• Digital Content as a Scalable Solution: For roughly 75% of a given population, high-quality digital content can be a first line of support, offering tools for episodic needs and keeping people out of higher-acuity care.
• Data-Driven Personalization: Calm Health leverages PHQ and GAD scores to curate programs tailored to each user’s unique needs, including specialized tracks for those with chronic conditions like diabetes.
• Clinical Expertise Meets Engaging Delivery: Calm collaborates with top psychologists to create evidence-based programs, then crafts them into highly engaging audio-visual experiences featuring trusted voices.
• Proof of Outcomes: A recent payer-led study of 70,000 users showed significant reductions in anxiety and depression scores - demonstrating that digital tools can make a real impact.
• Health Literacy = Access + Navigation: True health literacy goes beyond reading level - it includes providing clear pathways and referrals to the right care, tailored to each user’s situation and acuity.
• Supporting the Full Continuum: Calm Health’s offerings help users at every point in the journey, from “green” users needing only light support to those who require referral to therapy or crisis services.
• Cautious Approach to AI: While Calm Health utilizes AI to help users articulate their goals, they are conservative about using AI for actual clinical care - mindful of both ethical concerns and payer requirements.

Brian closes with a reminder of the human side of mental health - urging listeners to check in, offer a smile, and truly see one another, as small moments of connection can be transformative.

Discover how digital innovation and compassionate leadership are reshaping mental health support in the workplace - one small step, and one smile, at a time.

Learn About EdLogics

Want to see how EdLogics' gamified platform can boost health literacy, drive engagement in health and wellness programs, and help people live happier, healthier lives?

Visit the EdLogics website: www.edlogics.com.

Get Seth's Book

Check out The Wellbeing Effect by Seth Serxner.

In this episode of the Health Literacy 2.0 Podcast, host Seth Serxner welcomes Michael Susi, the leader behind LinkedIn’s long-running employee wellness program, for a fascinating conversation about what workplace wellness looks like when it’s built around real human behavior rather than generic corporate initiatives.

Michael shares his unconventional career journey from football coaching and personal training to leading wellness strategy at one of the world’s most recognized companies. Along the way, he discovered something many organizations still overlook: employees often know what they “should” do for their health - but stress, sleep, overwhelm, and everyday life get in the way.

The discussion explores how LinkedIn evolved its wellness philosophy into a practical, accessible, and compassionate program centered around six core tenets:

1. Thoughts
2. Breathing
3. Hydration
4. Nutrition
5. Movement
6. Rest

Rather than focusing narrowly on exercise or weight loss, the program reframes wellness in more approachable ways that encourage participation from everyone - not just already health-conscious employees.

Seth and Michael also discuss:

• Why “movement” works better than “exercise” for employee engagement
• How language and inclusivity shape wellness participation
• The role of gamification, rewards, and social proof in driving engagement
• Why wellness ROI is often best measured through participation and behavior change
• How LinkedIn creates global wellness experiences across very different office cultures
• The hidden impact of stress and sleep deprivation on employee wellbeing
• Why wellness programs should avoid guilt, shame, and perfectionism
• The balance between wearable technology and listening to your own body
• How health literacy empowers employees to make better healthcare decisions

Michael also shares creative examples from LinkedIn’s wellness initiatives, including wellness swag, point systems, hydration campaigns, and engagement strategies designed to create genuine curiosity and peer-driven momentum.

One of the strongest themes throughout the episode is that sustainable wellness is not about intensity or perfection - it’s about helping employees build healthier habits in realistic, compassionate ways.

As Michael explains: “Wellness is not a moment in time - it’s the moments of your life.”

This episode is packed with practical insights for HR leaders, benefits professionals, wellness leaders, healthcare innovators, and anyone interested in creating healthier, more human-centered workplaces.

Listen now to hear how LinkedIn approaches employee wellness, engagement, and health literacy at scale.

Learn About EdLogics

Want to see how EdLogics' gamified platform can boost health literacy, drive engagement in health and wellness programs, and help people live happier, healthier lives?

Visit the EdLogics website: www.edlogics.com.

Get Seth's Book

Check out The Wellbeing Effect by Seth Serxner.