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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Brian C. Houle, MPH, Kathrine C. Fernandez, MPH, Whitney C. Kling, BA, Julie A. Cunningham, MPH, Jonas I. Bromberg, PsyD, and Tara M. Cousineau, PhD. Inflexxion, Inc., 320 Needham Street, Suite 100, Newton, MA 02464, 617-332-6028, kfernandez@inflexxion.com

Web-based tailored nutrition programs constitute an emerging trend in obesity prevention initiatives. However, the initial investment in such programming necessitates that the target population is well-understood. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility of an online workplace nutrition program. Formative research with gaming industry employees and benefits managers was conducted. A consensus of 32 employees and 18 benefits managers was obtained using concept mapping on the relevant topics and features to promote healthy nutrition behaviors for this target audience. Results suggest that the most important concepts include basic nutrition information; impact of nutrition health conditions; and personally relevant feedback for both male and female employees. Employees and benefits managers exhibited moderate agreement concerning the importance of emerging concepts (correlation value=.48).

This information was used to develop a prototype website using universal psycho-social and health promotion approaches. A 16-item knowledge test was administered to a new group of 54 gaming industry employees as a preliminary test of the prototype's effect on nutrition knowledge. Employees completed the test before and after viewing the website for 30 minutes. There was a significant increase in knowledge scores post-intervention (t=7.16, df=36, p<.001). There was also a negative correlation between baseline knowledge score and improvement in knowledge score (r=-.647, p<.001), suggesting a positive impact of the program on those employees with lower levels of knowledge. Formative research with stakeholders prior to full program development is a critical step, and may be especially so in online workplace nutrition education and obesity prevention initiatives.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• List four nutrition topics considered important in the workplace.
• Discuss the concept mapping procedure for generating consensus from stakeholder groups.
• Evaluate the utility of eliciting target audience input into the design of nutrition interventions.

Keywords: Technology, Worksite

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered