Running

Head: WORKPLACE OBESITY INTERVENTIONS

Reducing Obesity in the Workplace

Jamie Wertz
Ferris State University

WORKPLACE OBESITY INTERVENTIONS

Reducing Obesity in the Workplace

Obesity is of great concern today in our nation, as 33 percent of adults and 17
percent of children are obese (Ogden, Carroll, Kit & Flegal, 2014). Although many
individuals strive to not become another statistic in the percentage of those labeled obese,
it is a task easier said than done. Todays lifestyle is consumed with people living more
sedentary than actively, and with more adults working longer hours, sleeping less, and
participating in mindless eating, factors that lead to obesity
The article entitled A Workplace Obesity Intervention: Results From a GroupRandomized Trial, published in the American Journal of Public Health, examines the
issue of obesity and possible interventions to reduce the prevalence of obese adults in the
American workforce population. According to this study, 31 percent of adult males and
33 percent of adult females in the United States are considered obese and obesity is a
major cause of preventable disease (Siegal, Prelip, Erausquin, & Kim, 2010). This study
was conducted in an effort to battle obesity among school employees within several
school districts in Los Angeles, California.
One of the biggest reasons the LA school district was chosen for this study is
because it is the second largest school district in the nation and serve populations among
low to middle class (Siegal et al., 2010). This study was also completed in order to
develop workplace interventions appropriate for its targeted population, being the male
and female employees of these schools, in an effort to reduce the risk for or prevalence of
obesity (Siegal et al., 2010). The goal of this study was to reduce obesity and promote
healthy living by incorporating physical activity, as well as proper nutrition into every
day life (Siegal et al., 2010).

WORKPLACE OBESITY INTERVENTIONS

Method
Participants
Each LA school district involved in the study was divided into an intervention
schools group and a control schools group. Those within the intervention group were
responsible for creating a worksite wellness committee made up of school employees and
then developing various health promotion activities that recruited participants would be
required to complete (Siegal et al., 2010). The control schools group played no role in
any intervention.
Materials and Measures
Before beginning the intervention, baseline measurements of all participants were
obtained. Measurements included weight, height, BMI, waist-hip ratio, and fruit and
vegetable consumption. Other measures to assess participants physical activity from the
previous seven days were obtained through a questionnaire known as the International
Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) short form (Siegal et al., 2010).
The activities that were being implemented into the intervention schools
throughout the first year of the study were focused on improving diet, increasing physical
activity, and areas such as stress management, as well as CPR and First Aid certification
(Siegal et al., 2010). Within the second year of intervention, some of the schools even
offered healthy cooking classes and developed a quarterly newsletter (Siegal et al., 2010).
All of those who participated in the activities and programs received a gift certificate to a
local grocery store (Siegal et al., 2010).
Conclusion
Results

WORKPLACE OBESITY INTERVENTIONS

Programs were implemented, data was collected, and results were analyzed,
proving that interventions consisting of both a nutritional and physical activity
component were successful in reducing basal metabolic indexes (BMIs) among faculty
and lowering overall body weight of those who participated. Two years post-intervention,
the participants were re-measured to document findings. The results concluded a decrease
in BMI among the intervention group, as well as a decrease in total body weight.
However, the control group had a slight increase in the amount of minutes per week spent
participating in physical activity, while the intervention group showed a slight decline.
Both groups increased the amounts of fruits and vegetables in their diet (Siegal et al.,
2010, p. 329). Overall, the results proved that the study and programs implemented were
a good starting point in an effort to reduce workplace obesity among those who
participated.
Discussion
This study is important because obesity is more prevalent among those who work
long hours and do not get the daily physical activity requirements needed to sustain a
healthy lifestyle. Nurses identify teaching points with patients through the utilization of
nursing diagnosis. Three nursing diagnosis in relation to this study would be: (1)
Knowledge deficit, (2) Imbalanced nutrition: More than body requirements related to
food intake in excess of energy expenditure, and (3) Activity intolerance related to
sedentary lifestyle. Some expected outcomes for these interventions would be to lose one
pound each week, walk 30 minutes five times per week and identifying behavior
modification to avoid overeating.

WORKPLACE OBESITY INTERVENTIONS

Nurses experience a diverse group of individuals to advocate for and educate on
the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. It is a nurses responsibility to ensure each
individual is getting the proper plan of care based on his or her individual needs and
wants. When implementing a plan of care to patients who lead high-stress, demanding
lifestyles, it will be important to discuss lifestyle and behavior modification strategies to
help them be successful in their health.
Another strategy that can be implemented is to teach patients how to log their
eating habits and physical activity in a journal so they can see what lifestyle behaviors
they are participating in. Most often, individuals are either unaware of the amount of
calories they are consuming in a day or they are just in denial. Writing down foods
consumed can help steer patients away from mindless eating and out of this obesity
epidemic. Evidence based practice proves that if nutrition and exercise plans are
implemented and those participating are held accountable to carry out those plans,
obesity can be reduced. However, its up to the individual to want to make a lifestyle
change first before change can happen. Obesity prevalence remains high and thus it is
important to continue surveillance (Ogden et al, 2014, p. 813).

WORKPLACE OBESITY INTERVENTIONS

References
Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM. Prevalence of Childhood and Adult
Obesity in the United States, 2011-2012. JAMA. 2014;311(8):806-814.
doi:10.1001/jama.2014.732.
Siegel, J., Prelip, M., Erausquin, J., & Kim, S. (2010). A worksite obesity
intervention: results from a group-randomized trial. American Journal Of Public
Health, 100(2), 327-333. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2008.154153.