The Effects of a Worksite Chronic Disease Prevention Program Effect of a 5-Month Worksite Physical Activity Program on Tertiary Employees Overall Health and Fitness Impact of worksite wellness intervention on cardiac risk factors and one-year health care costs. Impact of the Working Well Trial on the Worksite Smoking and Nutrition Environment A 30‐month worksite‐based lifestyle program to promote cardiovascular health in middle‐aged bank employees: Design of the TANSNIP‐PESA randomized controlled trial Active for Life: A Work-based Physical Activity Program Worksite Opportunities for Wellness (WOW): effects on cardiovascular disease risk factors after 1 year. Assessment of female participation in an employee 20-week walking incentive program at Marshfield Clinic: a large multispecialty group practice. Reducing obesity among employees of a manufacturing plant: translating the Diabetes Prevention Program to the workplace. Diabetes prevention and control in the workplace: a pilot project for county employees. Worksite intervention effects on physical health: a randomized controlled trial. Go!: results from a quasi-experimental obesity prevention trial with hospital employees Work, Weight, and Wellness: the 3W Program: a worksite obesity prevention and intervention trial. Walking to wellness in an ageing sedentary university community: design, method and protocol. Effect of individual counseling on physical activity fitness and health: a randomized controlled trial in a workplace setting. Worksite Cholesterol and Nutrition: An Intervention Project in Colorado Working on wellness (WOW): A worksite health promotion intervention programme Randomized controlled trial of a nonpharmacologic cholesterol reduction program at the worksite. Impact of a Worksite Wellness Program on the Nutrition and Physical Activity Environment of Child Care Centers The (cost-)effectiveness of an individually tailored long-term worksite health promotion programme on physical activity and nutrition: design of a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial A Randomized Controlled Trial Translating the Diabetes Prevention Program to a University Worksite, Ohio, 2012–2014 Weight gain prevention in the school worksite setting: results of a multi-level cluster randomized trial. The Working Healthy Project: a worksite health-promotion trial targeting physical activity, diet, and smoking.
Objective : This study determined the behavioral and clinical impact of a worksite chronic disease prevention program . Methods : Working adults participated in r and omized clinical trial of an intensive lifestyle intervention . Nutrition and physical activity behavior and several chronic disease risk factors were assessed at baseline , 6 weeks , and 6 months . Results : Cognitive underst and ing of the requirements for a healthy lifestyle increased at the end of the program . Program participants significantly improved their cognitive underst and ing of good nutrition and physical activity and had significantly better nutrition and physical activity behavior at both 6 weeks and 6 months . Participants had significantly lower body fat , blood pressure , and cholesterol . Conclusions : This worksite chronic disease prevention program can significantly increase health knowledge , can improve nutrition and physical activity , and can improve many employee health risks in the short term Objective : This pilot study questions the effects of a worksite physical activity program on health and fitness in tertiary employees . Methods : Ninety-five employees were r and omly assigned to Control ( CON ) ; Novice ( NOV ) ; Experienced group ( EXP ) . The NOV and EXP groups followed a 5-month worksite physical activity program ( at least two sessions/week ) . Body composition , physical activity level and physical fitness , eating habits , health perception , sleep quality , pain , and quality of life were assessed . Results : Fat mass decreased in NOV and EXP ; the distance covered during the 6-minute walking test , push-ups , squat jump increased for NOV and EXP group . Physical activity level , health perception , quality of sleep , and eating habits were improved in NOV . Conclusion : This study underlines for the first time the beneficial effects of such worksite programs among tertiary employees on overall health and the feasibility of its design Cardiac rehabilitation and exercise training ( CRET ) provides health risk intervention in cardiac patients over a relatively short time frame . Worksite health programs offer a unique opportunity for health intervention , but these programs remain underused due to concerns over recouping the costs . We evaluated the clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a 6-month worksite health intervention using staff from CRET .  Employees ( n = 308 ) and spouses ( n = 31 ) of a single employer were r and omized to active intervention ( n = 185 ) consisting of worksite health education , nutritional counseling , smoking cessation counseling , physical activity promotion , selected physician referral , and other health counseling versus usual care  ( n = 154 ) . Health risk status was assessed at baseline and after the 6-month intervention program , and total medical cl aim costs were obtained in all participants during the year before and the year after intervention . Significant improvements were demonstrated in quality -of-life scores ( + 10 % , p = 0.001 ) , behavioral symptoms ( depression -33 % , anxiety -32 % , somatization -33 % , and hostility -47 % , all p values < 0.001 ) , body fat ( -9 % , p = 0.001 ) , high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( + 13 % , p = 0.0001 ) , diastolic blood pressure ( -2 % , p = 0.01 ) , health habits ( -60 % , p = 0.0001 ) , and total health risk ( -25 % , p = 0.0001 ) . Of employees categorized as high risk at baseline , 57 % were converted to low-risk status . Average employee annual cl aim costs decreased 48 % ( p = 0.002 ) for the 12 months after the intervention , whereas control employees ' costs remained unchanged ( -16 % , p = NS ) , thus creating a sixfold return on investment . In conclusion , worksite health intervention using CRET staff decreased total health risk and markedly decreased medical cl aim costs within 12 months This article reports the effect of a  worksite cancer control intervention on aspects of the physical and social environment related to dietary and smoking behaviors of employees . Data are from 111 intervention and control worksites that participated in the Working Well Trial . Employee surveys and interviews with key organizational informants assessed environmental and normative changes relevant to nutrition and tobacco use . Results indicated significant effects of the intervention on all nutrition outcomes : access to healthy food , nutritional information at work , and social norms regarding dietary choice . Significant benefits were not found for smoking norms or smoking policies . However , changes occurred in both the control and intervention sites on these variables . This first large analysis of environmental and normative effects of a worksite intervention is consistent with the employee behavior change findings for the trial and serves as a model for future analyses of multilevel worksite health promotion programs Background Cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) is the leading cause of death worldwide . With atherosclerosis as the underlying cause for many CVD events , prevention or reduction of sub clinical atherosclerotic plaque burden ( SAPB ) through a healthier lifestyle may have substantial public health benefits . Objective The objective was to describe the protocol of a r and omized controlled trial investigating the effectiveness of a 30‐month worksite‐based lifestyle program aim ed to promote cardiovascular health in participants having a high or a low degree of SAPB compared with st and ard care . Methods We will conduct a r and omized controlled trial including middle‐aged bank employees from the Progression of Early Sub clinical Atherosclerosis cohort , stratified by SAPB ( high SAPB n = 260 , low SAPB n = 590 ) . Within each stratum , participants will be r and omized 1:1 to receive a lifestyle program or st and ard care . The program consists of 3 elements : ( a ) 12 personalized lifestyle counseling sessions using Motivational Interviewing over a 30‐month period , ( b ) a wrist‐worn physical activity tracker , and ( c ) a sit‐st and workstation . Primary outcome measure is a composite score of blood pressure , physical activity , sedentary time , body weight , diet , and smoking ( ie , adapted Fuster‐BEWAT score ) measured at baseline and at 1‐ , 2‐ , and 3‐year follow‐up . Conclusions The study will provide insights into the effectiveness of a 30‐month worksite‐based lifestyle program to promote cardiovascular health compared with st and ard care in participants with a high or low degree of SAPB Background The American Cancer Society 's Active for Life is a worksite wellness program that encourages employees to be physically active . This paper reports the experience of implementing Active for Life in a worksite setting and its longer-term impact on physical activity . Context The Active for Life intervention was provided to employees at Group Health Cooperative , a nonprofit health care system in the Pacific Northwest with 9800 employees . Methods Posters , newsletters , health fairs , and site captains promoted enrollment in Active for Life . Interventions included goal - setting , self-monitoring , incentives , and team competition . Preprogram and postprogram changes in physical activity were assessed at baseline , 10 weeks , and 6 months . Consequences Active for Life was offered to 3624 employees , and 1167 ( 32 % ) enrolled ; 565 ( 48 % ) completed all three surveys . At 10 weeks , all physical activity measures increased significantly . The proportion of employees meeting the guideline of the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention for physical activity increased from 34 % to 48 % ( P < .01 ) . At the 6-month follow-up , the frequency of exercising enough to work up a sweat ( P < .01 ) remained significantly increased , but other measures of physical activity declined toward baseline . Interpretation A 10-week worksite program implemented at multiple facilities increased physical activity by the end of the intervention , but these changes were not sustained over time . Future interventions might include extending the length of the program , repeating the program , or adding larger economic incentives over time . Any such alternative models should be carefully evaluated , using a r and omized design if possible OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of a worksite health promotion program on improving cardiovascular disease risk factors . METHODS In St Louis , Missouri from 2005 to 2006 , 151 employees ( 134 F , 17 M , 81 % overweight/obese ) participated in a cohort-r and omized trial comparing assessment s + intervention ( worksite A ) with assessment s only ( worksite B ) for 1 year . All participants received personal health reports containing their assessment results . The intervention was design ed to promote physical activity and favorable dietary patterns using pedometers , healthy snack cart , WeightWatchers(R ) meetings , group exercise classes , seminars , team competitions , and participation rewards . Outcomes included BMI , body composition , blood pressure , fitness , lipids , and Framingham 10-year coronary heart disease risk . RESULTS 123 participants , aged 45+/-9 yr , with BMI 32.9+/-8.8 kg/m(2 ) completed 1 year . Improvements ( P < or = 0.05 ) were observed at both worksites for fitness , blood pressure , and total- , HDL- , and LDL-cholesterol . Additional improvements occurred at worksite A in BMI , fat mass , Framingham risk score , and prevalence of the metabolic syndrome ; only the changes in BMI and fat mass were different between worksites . CONCLUSION A multi-faceted worksite intervention promoted favorable changes in cardiovascular disease risk factors , but many of the improvements were achieved with worksite health assessment s and personalized health reports in the absence of an intervention OBJECTIVE We evaluated the short-term effect of a worksite-based walking incentive program to promote physical activity and well-being in employees of a private healthcare clinic . DESIGN A prospect i ve , observational follow-up study . SETTING The study was conducted at Marshfield Clinic , a large private multispecialty group practice healthcare institution in Marshfield , Wisconsin , USA . PATIENTS Subjects for this study were Marshfield Clinic physicians and staff . METHODS From March 31 , 2005 to August 20 , 2005 , physical activity level , body mass index ( BMI ) and other well-being characteristics were observed pre- and post-program among 191 female participants from the Marshfield Clinic . A brief Web site-accessible , self-reported survey assessed the effectiveness of the exercise program . RESULTS Our data show a statistically significant ( p < 0.0001 ) increase in participants ' physical activity level , while a significant ( p = 0.021 ) decrease in mean BMI was observed . However , there was no evidence of our incentive program reducing participants ' blood pressure . CONCLUSION Preliminary findings of our study suggest that the goal of worksite programs design ed to support employees in their efforts to improve or maintain their level of wellness is potentially achievable . Continuing research is needed to further assess whether persistent health benefits can be induced by worksite wellness programs Obesity affects individuals physically and emotionally , contributing to direct and indirect employer costs . Targeted obesity interventions through the Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Core Curriculum offered at the worksite could promote healthy lifestyle decisions result ing in weight improvement among overweight and obese employees . A pretest-posttest cohort design was used to evaluate changes in weight and body mass index among 35 Diabetes Prevention Program participants ; they achieved statistically significant changes in body weight ( p < .001 ) and body mass index ( p < .001 ) . As a process measure , Diabetes Prevention Program session attendance moderately correlated with weight loss ( r = .51 ; p = .002 ) . Many health care professionals , including occupational health nurses , can implement evidence -based worksite obesity interventions to support employee weight loss OBJECTIVES To improve nutrition and physical activity of county employees and promote weight loss . DESIGN R and om assignment to begin the program when first offered or after 3 months ( " wait control " group ) . SETTING Worksite . PARTICIPANTS Onondaga County employees ( n = 45 ) at risk for diabetes ( n = 35 ) or with diabetes ( n = 10 ) . Mean ( ±SD ) age = 51.2 ( ± 8.0 ) years and body mass index ( BMI ) = 37.3 ± ( 6.8 kg/m ) . INTERVENTION Twelve weekly healthy lifestyle sessions based on the Diabetes Prevention Program curriculum , followed by monthly sessions for up to 12 months . OUTCOMES Medical : Weight , BMI , waist circumference , blood pressure , fasting glucose , lipid , and hemoglobin A1c levels . Psychosocial/behavioral : Health-related quality of life Short Form-12 , Impact of Weight on Quality of Life Scale ) , physical activity ( International Physical Activity Question naire ) , eating behavior ( 3-Factor Eating Question naire , National Cancer Institute Fat Screener ) , job satisfaction . RESULTS The intervention group lost significant weight compared to the wait control group over the first 3 months ( mean [ 95 % CI ] , -2.23 kg [ -3.5 to 0.97 ] ) vs [ + 0.73 kg ( + 0.17 to + 1.28 ) ] , with a decrease in BMI ( P < .001 ) and waist circumference ( P = .004 ) , an increase in physical activity ( International Physical Activity Question naire , P = .011 ) and lower dietary fat intake ( P = .018 ) . Over 12 months , 22.5 % ( 9/40 ) lost more than 5 % body weight and 12.5 % ( 5/40 ) lost more than 7 % body weight . After the first 3 months , there was gradual partial weight regain but reduction in waist circumference was maintained . The intervention group demonstrated significant improvement in Impact of Weight on Quality of Life Scale ( P < .001 ) , 3-Factor Eating ( cognitive restraint P < .001 , uncontrolled eating P = .003 , and emotional eating P = .001 ) , International Physical Activity Question naire ( P = .011 ) , and Short Form-12 Physical Component Summary ( P = .048 ) . No improvements were observed in blood pressure , lipid , hemoglobin A1c , or glucose levels . Job satisfaction was inversely related to BMI at baseline ( P = .001 ) with a trend for improvement with the modest weight loss . CONCLUSIONS A worksite intervention program can help government employees adopt healthier lifestyles and achieve modest weight loss Overweight and physical inactivity are risk factors for increased disease burden and health care expenditure . Well- design ed studies are still needed to determine the treatment efficacy of worksite interventions targeting such risk factors . This r and omized controlled trial was conducted at one of Australia 's casinos in 2002 - 2003 , to investigate the effects of a comprehensive exercise and lifestyle intervention on physical fitness . Only 6.4 % of the workforce expressed interest in being study participants . Seventy-three employees ( aged 32 + /- 8 years , 51 % overweight/obese , 73 % shift workers and 52 % women ) were recruited and r and omized to treatment or wait-list control groups for 24 weeks , 44 of whom completed the intervention . Components of the intervention include supervised moderate-to-high intensity exercise including combined aerobic ( at least 20 min duration 3 days/week ) and weight-training ( for an estimated 30 min completed 2 - 3 days/week ) , and dietary/health education ( delivered via group seminars , one-on-one counselling and literature through the provision of a worksite manual ) . ANCOVA , by intention-to-treat and of study completers , found significant between-group differences in the mean waist circumference and predicted maximal oxygen uptake ( VO2max ) , favouring the intervention , but effects were concentrated in one subject . For study completers , between-group differences in the mean waist circumference ( 82.3 + /- 9.2 versus 90.5 + /- 17.8 cm , p = 0.01 ) and predicted VO2max ( 47 versus 41 ml/kg/min , p < 0.001 ) remained significant without the outlier , favouring the intervention . Higher intervention compliance predicted greater improvements in physical fitness . No significant effects on body mass or body mass index were found . This worksite intervention significantly improved waist circumference and aerobic fitness in healthy but sedentary employees , most of whom were shift workers .  Worksite interventions have the potential to counter the increasing burden of overweight and obesity , particularly visceral adiposity , as well as physical inactivity ; however , substantial barriers to adoption/adherence need to be overcome for greater feasibility and impact on employee physical health Background Worksite obesity prevention interventions using an ecological approach may hold promise for reducing typical weight gain . The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Go ! , an innovative 12-month multi-component worksite obesity prevention intervention . Methods A quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design was utilized ; 407 eligible hospital employees ( intervention arm ) and 93 eligible clinic employees ( comparison arm ) participated . The intervention involved pedometer distribution , labeling of all foods in the worksite cafeteria and vending machines ( with calories , step equivalent , and a traffic light based on energy density signaling recommended portion ) , persuasive messaging throughout the hospital , and the integration of influential employees to reinforce healthy social norms .  Changes in weight , BMI , waist circumference , physical activity , and dietary behavior after 6 months and 1 year were primary outcomes . Secondary outcomes included knowledge , perceptions of employer commitment to employee health , availability of information about diet , exercise , and weight loss , perceptions of coworker support and frequency of health discussion s with coworkers . A process evaluation was conducted as part of the study . Results Repeated measures ANCOVA indicated that neither group showed significant increases in weight , BMI , or waist circumference over 12 months . The intervention group showed a modest increase in physical activity in the form of walking , but decreases in fruit and vegetable servings and fiber intake . They also reported significant increases in knowledge , information , perceptions of employer commitment , and health discussion s with peers . Employees expressed positive attitudes towards all components of the Go ! intervention . Conclusions This low-intensity intervention was well-received by employees but had little effect on their weight over the course of 12 months . Such results are consistent with other worksite obesity prevention studies using ecological approaches . Implementing low-impact physical activity ( e.g. , walking , stair use ) may be more readily incorporated into the worksite setting than more challenging behaviors of altering dietary habits and increasing more vigorous forms of physical activity . Trial Registration This study was registered with clinical trials.gov ( NCT01585480 ) on April 24 , 2012 OBJECTIVE In this paper , we describe the aims , intervention , and design of the Work , Weight , and Wellness program , a group-r and omized worksite obesity prevention and intervention trial being conducted at 31 hotels with 11,559 employees on the isl and of Oahu in Hawaii . We report baseline prevalence of overweight and obesity , and the distribution of BMI ( kilograms per meter squared ) across sex , race , and job categories . We also describe factors that have influenced intervention adoption and employee participation . RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES The study 's primary outcome is change in BMI among hotel employees over a 2-year intervention period . The intervention includes environmental and group components that target diet , physical activity , and weight management .  RESULTS Men , Pacific Isl and ers , and individuals employed in managerial or facility maintenance roles had higher prevalence of obesity and higher mean BMI than women and individuals from other races or in other occupational categories . DISCUSSION These results may be helpful in guiding choices about the adoption or design of future worksite and community interventions addressing at-risk ethnically diverse population s and are especially relevant to the hotel industry and similar industries BACKGROUND Older workers are less physically active and have a higher rate and cost of injury than younger workers and so have reduced work-ability . Concurrently , sedentary behaviour in the workplace , in transport and in the home is increasing and has harmful health effects . Walking is a familiar , convenient , and free form of health-enhancing physical activity that can be integrated into working life and sustained into older age however workplace walking programs targeted at older workers have not been evaluated . PURPOSE We design ed a r and omised-controlled trial to evaluate the impact of a phased individually-tailored 10-week walking program on work-day steps , health status and work-ability of employees at an Australian university with an ageing sedentary workforce . METHODS A convenience sample of 154 academic and administrative employees aged 45 - 70 years will be recruited and r and omly allocated to either an experimental ( walking ) group or control ( maintain usual activity ) group . Participants will be provided with a pedometer and complete measures for step count , % body fat , waist circumference , blood pressure , self-reported physical activity , psychological wellbeing and work-ability , at baseline and end-intervention . ' Walkers ' will select approaches tailored to their individual preference , psychological characteristics or life circumstances . Two distinct intervention phases will target adoption ( weeks 2 - 5 ) and adherence ( weeks 7 - 12 ) using ' Stages of Behaviour Change ' principles . An ANOVA will test for effect of treatment on outcome with the baseline value entered as a covariate . DISCUSSION This study will test whether tailoring worksite walking is an effective means of promoting health-enhancing physical activity in ageing sedentary workers BACKGROUND Physical inactivity and obesity are major public health problems . Our objective was to investigate the effectiveness of an individual counseling intervention at the workplace on physical activity fitness and health . Counseling content derived from the Patient-centered Assessment and Counseling for Exercise and Nutrition ( PACE ) program . METHODS A total of 299 employees of three municipal services in the Dutch town of Enschede were r and omly allocated into intervention ( n = 131 ) and control group ( n = 168 ) . Over a 9-month period , intervention group subjects were offered seven counseling sessions . Counseling was based on the individual 's stage of behavioral change using PACE physical activity and nutrition protocol s. Subjects in both the intervention and control group received written information about several lifestyle factors . Primary outcome measures were physical activity ( total energy expenditure , during sports activities , during physical activity leisure time other than sports , and meeting the moderate-intensity public health recommendations ) ; cardiorespiratory fitness ; and prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms . Secondary outcome measures were body composition ( body mass index [ BMI ] , and percentage of body fat measured via skinfold thicknesses ) ; blood pressure ; and blood cholesterol . RESULTS There were significant positive effects on total energy expenditure , physical activity during sports , cardiorespiratory fitness , percentage of body fat , and blood cholesterol . No effects were found for the proportion of subjects meeting the public health recommendation of moderate-intensity physical activity , physical activity during leisure time other than sports , prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms , body mass index , and blood pressure . CONCLUSIONS Individual face-to-face counseling at the workplace based on PACE protocol s positively influenced physical activity levels and some components of physical fitness . The implementation of workplace counseling programs for individuals should therefore be promoted The study purpose was to determine whether group intervention or an individual self help program proved to be more effective at lowering heart disease risk factors  among employees in different worksites . Eight worksites and 502 employees in the Denver metropolitan area were selected for the project , with four r and omized to Usual Care and four to the Special Intervention . Most worksites had < 200 employees . Employees were r and omly assigned to either a control group receiving usual nutrition education or one of two special intervention groups in which employees selected to attend group nutrition education classes or complete an individual self paced nutrition education program . Results indicated that offering a choice of methods for the special nutrition education intervention was valuable , and both approaches modified behavior and certain physiological outcomes . Results suggested that enhanced nutrition education efforts in worksites may be effective and will realize greater benefits than a pamphlet or brief discussion following a worksite screening Background Insufficient PA has been shown to cluster with other CVD risk factors including insufficient fruit and vegetable intake , overweight , increased serum cholesterol concentrations and elevated blood pressure . This paper describes the development of Working on Wellness ( WOW ) , a worksite intervention program incorporating motivational interviewing by wellness specialists , targeting employees at risk . In addition , we describe the evaluation the effectiveness of the intervention among employees at increased risk for cardiovascular disease . Methods The intervention mapping ( IM ) protocol was used in the planning and design of WOW . Focus group discussion s and interviews with employees and managers identified the importance of addressing risk factors for CVD at the worksite . Based on the employees ’ preference for individual counselling , and previous evidence of the effectiveness of this approach in the worksite setting , we decided to use motivational interviewing as part of the intervention strategy . Thus , as a cluster-r and omised , controlled control trial , employees at increased risk for CVD ( N = 928 ) will be assigned to a control or an intervention group , based on company r and om allocation . The sessions will include motivational interviewing techniques , comprised of two face-to-face and four telephonic sessions , with the primary aim to increase habitual levels of PA .  Measures will take place at baseline , 6 and 12 months . Secondary outcomes include changes in nutritional habits , serum cholesterol and glucose concentrations , blood pressure and BMI . In addition , healthcare expenditure and absenteeism will be measured for the economic evaluation . Analysis of variance will be performed to determine whether there were significant changes in physical activity habits in the intervention and control groups at 6 and 12 months . Discussion The formative work on which this intervention is based suggests that the strategy of targeting employees at increased risk for CVD is preferred . Importantly , this study extends the work of a previous , similar study , Health Under Construction , in a different setting . Finally , this study will allow an economic evaluation of the intervention that will be an important outcome for health care funders , who ultimately will be responsible for implementation of such an intervention . Trial registration United States Clinical Trails Register NCT Under experimental clinical conditions diet modification has been shown to reduce serum cholesterol levels . This paper reports such a positive response to a nonpharmacologic , behavioral education program at the worksite . Employees at the New York Telephone Company corporate headquarters were assigned r and omly to treatment and control groups . Treatment consisted of an 8-week group cholesterol reduction program conducted during employee lunch hours . It comprised a multiple-treatment approach -- food behavior change techniques combined with nutrition education , physical activity planning , and self-management skills . The treatment group showed substantial change compared with the control group at the program 's completion . Those treated displayed a significant 6.4 % reduction in total serum cholesterol ( 266 mg% average at baseline ) as compared with control subjects with a corresponding decrease in high-density lipoprotein levels . A significant increase in nutrition knowledge and moderate weight loss were also documented for this group . The magnitudes of a participant 's baseline serum cholesterol level and his/her reduction in percentage of ideal body weight were positively and independently correlated with percentage changes in serum cholesterol levels . Over the same period , decreases in high-density lipoprotein levels and no changes in serum cholesterol , weight , and nutrition knowledge were observed for the control group . Overall , participants in the treatment program successfully reduced the coronary heart disease risk factors of elevated cholesterol and weight . Directions for future study are suggested Purpose . To test whether implementing a staff wellness program affects the nutrition and physical activity environment at child care centers . Design . Quasi-experimental controlled trial . Setting . Child care centers in low income neighborhoods in California . Subjects . Eighty-two staff members at 13 centers completed the study . Intervention . Intervention and control groups received training and education about nutrition and physical activity . The intervention group also participated in a worksite wellness program . Measures . Staff members ' personal health habits , self-efficacy in working with families on nutrition and physical activity , and changes in children 's food and physical activity environments were assessed . Analysis . Statistical software was used to analyze change scores for pre-post measures and to test differences for end point — only measures . Results . Although significant differences in staff members ' personal health behaviors were not observed , staff from intervention sites exhibited more positive changes in their comfort level in talking to parents about nutrition and physical activity . Intervention sites reported providing more fresh fruits ( p = .004 ) and vegetables ( p = .03 ) to children as part of regular meals and snacks and serving more fresh fruits ( p = .05 ) at children 's celebrations . Control sites reported greater increases in sweetened foods ( p = .02 ) and sweetened beverages ( p = .05 ) at children 's celebrations . Conclusion . The wellness intervention shows promise in improving the  children 's food environment in a child care setting Background Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of disability and mortality in most Western countries . The prevalence of several risk factors , most notably low physical activity and poor nutrition , is very high . Therefore , lifestyle behaviour changes are of great importance . The worksite offers an efficient structure to reach large groups and to make use of a natural social network . This study investigates a worksite health promotion programme with individually tailored advice in physical activity and nutrition and individual counselling to increase compliance with lifestyle recommendations and sustainability of a healthy lifestyle . Methods / Design The study is a pragmatic cluster r and omised controlled trial with the worksite as the unit of r and omisation . All workers will receive a st and ard worksite health promotion program .  Additionally , the intervention group will receive access to an individual Health Portal consisting of four critical features : a computer-tailored advice , a monitoring function , a personal coach , and opportunities to contact professionals at request . Participants are employees working for companies in the Netherl and s , being literate enough to read and underst and simple Internet-based messages in the Dutch language .A question naire to assess primary outcomes ( compliance with national recommendations on physical activity and on fruit and vegetable intake ) will take place at baseline and after 12 and 24 months . This question naire also assesses secondary outcomes including fat intake , self-efficacy and self-perceived barriers on physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake . Other secondary outcomes , including a cardiovascular risk profile and physical fitness , will be measured at baseline and after 24 months . Apart from the effect evaluation , a process evaluation will be carried out to gain insight into participation and adherence to the worksite health promotion programme . A cost-effectiveness analysis and sensitivity analysis will be carried out as well . Discussion The unique combination of features makes the individually tailored worksite health promotion programme a promising tool for health promotion . It is hypothesized that the Health Portal 's features will counteract loss to follow-up , and will increase compliance with the lifestyle recommendations and sustainability of a healthy lifestyle . Trial registration Current Controlled Trials IS RCT N52854353 Introduction Working adults spend much time at the workplace , an ideal setting for wellness programs targeting weight loss and disease prevention . Few r and omized trials have evaluated the efficacy of worksite diabetes prevention programs . This study evaluated the efficacy of a worksite lifestyle intervention on metabolic and behavioral risk factors compared with usual care . Methods A pretest – posttest control group design with 3-month follow-up was used . Participants with prediabetes were recruited from a university worksite and r and omized to receive a 16-week lifestyle intervention ( n = 35 ) or usual care ( n = 34 ) . Participants were evaluated at baseline , postintervention , and 3-month follow-up . Dietary intake was measured by a food frequency question naire and level of physical activity by accelerometers . Repeated measures analysis of variance compared the change in outcomes between and within groups . Results Mean ( st and ard error [ SE ] ) weight loss was greater in the intervention ( −5.5 % [ 0.6 % ] ) than in the control ( −0.4 % [ 0.5 % ] ) group ( P < .001 ) postintervention and was sustained at 3-month follow-up ( P < .001 ) . Mean ( SE ) reductions in fasting glucose were greater in the intervention ( −8.6 [ 1.6 ] mg/dL ) than in the control ( −3.7 [ 1.6 ] mg/dL ) group ( P = .02 ) postintervention ; both groups had significant glucose reductions at 3-month follow-up ( P < .001 ) . In the intervention group , the intake of total energy and the percentage of energy from all fats , saturated fats , and trans fats decreased , and the intake of dietary fiber increased ( all P < .01 ) postintervention . Conclusion The worksite intervention improved metabolic and behavioral risk factors among employees with prediabetes . The long-term impact on diabetes prevention and program sustainability warrant further investigation OBJECTIVE To describe the effectiveness , reach and implementation of a weight  gain  prevention intervention among public school employees . METHOD A multi-level intervention was tested in a cluster r and omized trial among 782 employees in 12 central Massachusetts public high schools from 2009 to 2012 . The intervention targeted the nutrition and physical activity environment and policies , the social environment and individual knowledge , attitudes and skills . The intervention was compared to a material s only condition . The primary outcome measures were change in weight and body mass index ( BMI ) at 24-month follow-up . Implementation of physical environment , policy and social environment strategies at the school and interpersonal levels , and intervention participation at the individual level were assessed . RESULTS At 24-month follow-up , there was a net change ( difference of the difference ) of -3.03 pounds ( p=.04 ) and of -.48 BMI units ( p=.05 ) between intervention and comparison conditions . The majority of intervention strategies were successfully implemented by all intervention schools , although establishing formal policies was challenging . Employee participation in programs targeting the physical and social environment was maintained over time . CONCLUSION This study supports that a multi-level intervention integrated within the organizational culture can be successfully implemented and prevent weight gain in public high school employees Worksites are a key channel for delivery of interventions design ed to reduce chronic disease among adult population s. Although some evaluations of worksite physical-activity interventions have been conducted , to date very few r and omized trials of worksite health promotion have included the goal of increasing physical-activity levels as part of a comprehensive multiple risk factor approach to worksite health promotion . This article presents the results regarding behavior change found among the cohort of 2055 individuals who completed three health-behavior assessment s as part of their worksites ' participation in The Working Healthy Project ( WHP ) , a multiple risk factor intervention implemented in 26 manufacturing worksites . In this study , a r and omized matched-pair design was used . Fifty-one percent ( n = 2,761 ) of the employees who completed the baseline assessment also completed the interim survey . Eighty-three percent of those who completed the interim assessment also completed the final survey . The WHP intervention targeted smoking , nutrition , and physical activity . At baseline , 38 % of the sample reported engaging in regular exercise , and subjects reported consuming an average of 2.7 servings of fruits and vegetables per day , 7.9 grams of fiber per 1000 kilocalories , and 35.4 % calories from fat per day ; 28 % of the sample were smokers . By the time of both the interim ( intervention midpoint ) and final ( end of intervention ) assessment s , participants in the intervention condition had significantly increased their exercise behavior , compared with the control condition . There was also increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and fiber in the intervention condition by the time of the final assessment , compared with the control condition . No differences by condition were found with regard to percentage of calories from fat consumed or smoking cessation . These results suggest that among a cohort of participants in a worksite health promotion study , there were significant health behavior changes across two risk factors over time . These data suggest that further investigation of multiple risk factor worksite health promotion is warranted , particularly with a focus on ways to increase participation in these programs and to diffuse intervention effects throughout the entire workforce
Programs that had professionals frequently interact with participants , regardless if the interactions were done daily , weekly , or monthly , led to a change in body composition .
Additionally , programs that incorporated a motivation theory and provided content relevant to participants ' needs result ed in a change in body composition .
Conclusion Evidence supports that future worksite wellness programs that are design ed using a motivational theory and content that is created relevant to participants ' needs and that has frequent interactions with participants may result in a change in body composition
Background Adult obesity is globally recognized as a public health concern .
As adults spend most of their weekdays at work , worksite wellness programs may include topics of nutrition education and physical activity to improve an employee 's body composition .
However , results are inconsistent with the impact they have on employees ' body composition .
Objective The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate  worksite wellness nutrition and physical activity programs and their subsequent impact on participants ' body composition .