Impact of a three-year worksite wellness program on employee blood lipid levels

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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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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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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The prevalence of dyslipidemia and associated factors in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism ◽

10.1515/jpem-2016-0111 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Tuba Bulut ◽

Fatma Demirel ◽

Ayşe Metin

Keyword(s):

Type 1 Diabetes ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Nutrition Education ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Blood Lipid ◽

Laboratory Findings ◽

Diabetic Children ◽

And Control ◽

Blood Lipid Levels

AbstractBackground:Dyslipidemia increases the frequency and severity of micro and macrovascular complications of type 1 diabetes (T1D). The present study aims to determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia and its association with clinical and laboratory findings in diabetic children and adolescents.Methods:The study included 202 children and adolescents with T1D. Demographic data and laboratory findings were obtained from patients files.Results:Dyslipidemia prevalence was found to be 26.2%. Hypercholesterolemia (15.8%) and hyperglyceridemia (12.9%) were most common findings. Age, body mass index (BMI), hemoglobin AConclusions:Blood lipid levels should be monitored regularly and nutrition education should be repeated periodically to prevent and control dyslipidemia in patients with T1D. Smoking-related risks should be a part of patient education in the pubertal period.

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Employees’ Refusals to Participate in an Employer-Sponsored Wellness Program: Barriers and Benefits to Engagement

Compensation & Benefits Review ◽

10.1177/0886368719899209 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 52 (1) ◽

pp. 8-18

Author(s):

Evan K. Perrault ◽

Grace M. Hildenbrand ◽

Rachel HeeJoon Rnoh

Keyword(s):

Self Efficacy ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Open Enrollment ◽

Perceived Health ◽

Wellness Programs ◽

Worksite Wellness ◽

Primary Concern ◽

Wellness Program ◽

Worksite Wellness Programs

While worksite wellness programs are generally designed to help employees realize better overall health, some employees may not see them in that light. The current study sought to better understand why employees refuse to participate in a new employer-sponsored wellness program. This study also investigated how participation in the program is related to employees’ self-perceived health, efficacy to be healthier and their perceptions toward their organization providing useful resources to engage in a healthy lifestyle. A survey of more than 1,500 employees at a large Midwest organization was conducted after their annual open-enrollment period. Open-ended responses from participants refusing to participate in the wellness program ( n = 297) indicated privacy considerations as their primary concern. They also thought participation would take too much time, conceptually thought the program was unfair or not useful and felt they were already healthy and not in need of the program. Both participants and nonparticipants had no differences in self-perceived overall health. However, participants had greater self-efficacy, and perceptions that their employer offered useful resources to engage in a healthy lifestyle, than nonparticipants. Recommendations for communicating new wellness programs to employees are discussed.

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