The Impact of Worksite Wellness Programs by Size of Business: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study of Participation, Health Benefits, Absenteeism, and Presenteeism

Worksite wellness programs can be used to implement interventions aimed at addressing current rates of obesity and related chronic disease and their associated health care costs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a worksite wellness program on blood lipid levels among employees at a rural manufacturing plant in Northern California. Pre to post changes were analyzed using paired sample ttests. Demographic data collected as part of a subsequent nutrition education component of the program indicated that the employees were mostly male (88%) and Caucasian (71%), with a mean age of 47 ± 9 years. Forty-seven percent of the subjects were overweight and 38% obese. Following the three-year worksite wellness program, subjects’ total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels decreased, while their HDL-cholesterol levels increased significantly. These results suggest that long-term worksite wellness programs can improve employee health outcomes.

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Participants’ Perspectives of a Worksite Wellness Program Using an Outcome-Based Contingency Approach

Advances in Social Work ◽

10.18060/21624 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 595-610

Author(s):

David Gerard Bruno ◽

James R. Brown ◽

Evan D. Holloway

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Social Workers ◽

Wellness Programs ◽

Employee Health ◽

Worksite Wellness ◽

Body Measurements ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

The Impact ◽

Contingency Approach ◽

Worksite Wellness Programs

Worksite wellness programs in the U.S. are increasingly common. Social workers in healthcare and administration should familiarize themselves with the various wellness programs and the impact they have on workers and organizations. This study examined a worksite wellness outcome-based contingency approach (WWOCA). This approach bases individual employee health insurance discounts on each participant achieving biometric goals. A mixed-method explanatory approach was used. Quantitative health measures of participants (n = 397) and six focus group discussions (n = 45) were conducted using a convenience sample. Results indicate that over half of the participants met their work-based health goals (i.e., body measurements at the average or excellent rankings) with increases from 56% in year one to 87% in year two and 90% by year three. However, focus group participants expressed a high sense of failure in relation to health goal attainment, frustration with loss of the financial incentive, and stress and anxiety linked to negative feedback about their body measurements. These results suggest that many participants’ self-worth was negatively impacted when participants had difficulty conforming to worksite wellness standards. Social workers in healthcare and administration will need to advocate for worksite wellness programs that promote human dignity and avoid discriminating based on employee health status.

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Evaluation of Worksite Wellness Nutrition and Physical Activity Programs and Their Subsequent Impact on Participants’ Body Composition

Journal of Obesity ◽

10.1155/2018/1035871 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Victoria Sandercock ◽

Jeanette Andrade

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Body Composition ◽

Nutrition Education ◽

Wellness Programs ◽

Health Concern ◽

Worksite Wellness ◽

Nutrition And Physical Activity ◽

Physical Activity Programs ◽

The Impact ◽

Worksite Wellness Programs

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.Methods. Extraction of articles was completed through 4 databases: PubMed, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and PsycINFO using keywords such as “nutrition and physical activity interventions/programs” and “weight.” A 9-point inclusion criterion was established. Evaluation of the articles was assessed using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence-Based Manual.Results. A total of 962 articles were identified. Twenty-three met the inclusion criterion. Seventeen studies resulted in a change in body composition (e.g., decreased BMI (kg/m2), waist circumference, and body fat percentage), and six studies did not show any changes. 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 resulted in a change in body composition.Conclusion. Evidence supports that future worksite wellness programs that are designed 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.

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Dietary and behavior changes following rdn-led corporate wellness counseling: A secondary analysis

Work ◽

10.3233/wor-213432 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Kristen K. Hicks-Roof ◽

Mallory P. Franklin ◽

Claudia V. Sealey-Potts ◽

Robert J. Zeglin

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Hierarchical Linear Modeling ◽

Wellness Programs ◽

The United States ◽

Nutrition Intervention ◽

Behavior Changes ◽

Worksite Wellness ◽

Whole Grain ◽

Lifestyle Behavior ◽

Worksite Wellness Programs

BACKGROUND: Worksite wellness programs have the ability to activate health promotion and stimulate behavior change. OBJECTIVE: To measure longitudinal associations between visits with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), as part of worksite wellness programs, on dietary and lifestyle behavior changes. METHODS: The study sample included 1,123 employees with 77 different worksite wellness programs across the United States from March to December 2017. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to evaluate the associations of RDN visits with behavior changes. RESULTS: The mean BMI at baseline was 33.48, indicating over half of all employees are considered obese. Employees who attended more than one visit showed an increase in whole grain consumption and corresponding weight loss (t-ratio = 2.41, p = 0.02). Age played a significant factor in the rise of systolic blood pressure; employees who attended more visits showed an increase in whole grain consumption and corresponding blood pressure (t-ratio = –2.11, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: RDNs as part of worksite wellness programs, can contribute to improvements in lifestyle behavior changes. These data highlight the need for nutrition intervention at the workplace. Research on nutrition-focused worksite wellness programs is needed to assess the long-term health outcomes related to dietary and lifestyle behavior changes.

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