Web-Based State Employee Worksite Wellness Program: Nutritional Findings at One-Year Follow-Up

Chronic disease is debilitating the American workforce in the private and public sectors. State or federal agencies and companies bear healthcare cost for ill employees2 and want to improve worker health, decrease costs, and increase productivity. Chronic diseases attributable to poor nutrition and obesity tremendously impact medical cost and lost productivity. Research suggests that fruit and vegetable intake is associated with lower BMI and reduced risk for developing chronic disease. In Arkansas, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) implemented the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program (HELP) pilot intervention to encourage comprehensive wellness for state health employees. Employees completed a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) that evaluated nutritional changes, health risk factors, and improvement in Stages of Change at baseline (HRA1) and one-year follow-up (HRA2). Participants were encouraged to practice healthy behaviors, report behaviors using the web-based reporting system, accumulate points for healthy behaviors, and redeem points for incentives (i.e. t-shirt or time off work). We used categorical data methods to analyze differences between HRA1 and HRA2. Consumption of sweets/desserts, fats, protein, grains, processed meats, and dairy did not differ significantly from baseline to follow-up. However, results revealed that from HRA1 to HRA2 more people consumed three or more fruits and vegetables a day and more moved into the action and maintenance Stages of Change. This program successfully encouraged fruit and vegetable consumption and such changes may later contribute to decreased obesity and reduced risk for chronic disease. Though the program is feasible and appears effective, further study is warranted.