Worksite Weight Loss Intervention for Employees in Stressful Workplaces: A Pilot Study and Baseline Survey Indicators of Success
Summary (2 min read)
Introduction
- Correctional officers must cope with a variety of stressors within and outside of their institutional roles [1].
- Chandola et al. [5] reported an association between chronic work stress, elevated cortisol level, and coronary heart disease among a large cohort of civil servants.
- Increased stress and related behavioral risks have been attributed to the overwhelming number of overweight and obese correctional officers [4], increasing risks for coronary heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes [4,16-18].
- The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a worksite nutrition education program in achieving weight loss through healthy behaviors for overweight/obese employees in stressful workplaces (i.e., correctional employees).
Study design and recruitment
- The study used an 8-week pre-post test design.
- A convenience sample was recruited via flyers and registration forms distributed to all employees and posted for two-weeks in the officer’s mess.
- Due to an established partnership with the State Department of Correction, and, as a stipulation of their partnership, the study enrollment was open to all employees at the selected correctional facility.
- Four weeks prior to program initiation, the Program Facilitator (PF) coordinated a best approach to register participants with the warden at the correctional facility.
- The cooperation of the warden and correctional facility administrators was critical for successful completion of the program including recruitment and implementation via the provision of: semi-private space to complete study forms and surveys and to conduct weekly educational sessions; private space for weigh-ins; and employee’s time and coverage for participation without compromise to job and facility security.
Participants and procedure
- Convenience sampling was used to recruit volunteer participants who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria.
- Attrition was attributed to employee transfer of work location.
- At baseline and after obtaining informed consent, participants were asked to complete the surveys.
- Participants completed a separate survey asking their level of liking/ disliking for foods and physical activity.
Intervention period
- The team model was consistent with the small group nature of corrections work.
- Weekly meetings were scheduled between the PF and each team to discuss and provide nutrition and weight loss information.
- The general topic areas are shown in Table 2.
- During educational sessions, the PF discussed issues regarding energy balance, portion size and calorie counting.
Data analysis
- Changes in adiposity across the intervention were tested with paired t-tests.
- Differences in baseline survey responses and associations with change in adiposity were tested for central tendency (independent t-test) and distribution with Chi Square Test of Association or the Fisher Exact Probability Test (two-tailed).
Results
- Change in adiposity across the intervention and associations with perceived adiposity From pre to post intervention, there were significant losses in weight, BMI and waist circumference in both males and females (p<0.01).
- Baseline nutrition survey responses and associations with intervention weight loss Testing, the more successful weight loss group fell into higher liking categories at baseline for sweets and alcoholic beverages (p<0.05) but tended to fall into lower liking group at baseline for vegetables (p=0.06).
- Reported liking for physical activity did not differ significantly between those who were inactive versus active, suggesting other barriers to physical activity than level of liking (see below).
- Individuals who lost >1 inch in waist circumference across the intervention had lower baseline confidence scores than did individuals who lost ≤1 inch (p<0.05).
Discussion
- The present pilot study evaluated 8-week worksite weight loss intervention for correctional employees, supplemented with nutrition and physical activity survey assessments that were used to tailor the messages and educational intervention as well as characteristics of employees who were most successful in losing weight.
- The authors pilot study found value in utilizing weight (% weight loss) and waist circumference as both measures documented improvements in adiposity across the intervention in men and women.
- Another noteworthy approachin their study was assessment of participant’s usual food intake via a reported food preferences in order to tailor nutritional messages that promote lower energy and more nutrient dense intakes.
- Previous research has shown that employees, especially those most in need, are unlikely to partake in worksite weight loss interventions because they fail to address specific workplace constraints and barriers to achieving healthy lifestyles.
- This is the first program, to their knowledge, that reported on and showed success of a tailored weight loss intervention for correctional employees based on participant responses to simple baseline surveys on nutrition and physical activity knowledge, attitudes and behaviors.
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...That is the primary software, to our capabilities, that suggested on and confirmed success of a tailor-made weight loss intervention for correctional employees headquartered on participant responses to easy baseline surveys on vitamin and physical pastime skills, attitudes and behaviors [27]....
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References
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"Worksite Weight Loss Intervention f..." refers background or methods in this paper
...The first section contained ten multiple-choice or multiple component questions, adopted from the Hawkes and Nowak nutrition knowledge questionnaire [25], which asked whether foods were low in cholesterol, fat, or fiber....
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...Inclusion criteria were: being an employee of the correctional facility, a body mass index (BMI) of ≥25, no restriction in physical activity as indicated by the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire [25] and a commitment to the 8-week intervention and evaluation....
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1,692 citations
"Worksite Weight Loss Intervention f..." refers methods in this paper
...Perceived body size was estimated from the Stunkard Figure Rating Scale [26]....
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...Losing 3-5% of body weight can delay or prevent chronic conditions related to obesity [41,42]....
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"Worksite Weight Loss Intervention f..." refers methods in this paper
...If inaccurate self-perception is a barrier to effective weight loss, the use of instruments like the FRS may have utility in workplace weight loss programs [49]....
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790 citations
"Worksite Weight Loss Intervention f..." refers background in this paper
...The third section assessed the participant’s motivation and self-efficacy regarding a regular exercise program [32,33]....
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Frequently Asked Questions (2)
Q2. What are the future works in "Worksite weight loss intervention for employees in stressful workplaces: a pilot study and baseline survey indicators of success" ?
Future programs should consider these job characteristics during planning and implementation of worksite health promotion programs. This pilot study and previous research [ 2,3 ] support that interventions which address the unique workplace demands and facilitate participation increase potential for intervention success, and maintaining healthy behaviors in the future.