Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Workplace Interventions to Reduce Obesity and Cardiometabolic Risk

  • Published:
Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The worksite is ideal for implementing interventions to reduce obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors. Although worksite health promotion is not new, employer-sponsored wellness programs have become more widespread due to the rising prevalence and high cost of obesity. Over the past two decades, employers and researchers focused efforts on individual-based programs to change employees’ nutrition and exercise behaviors, but more recently, the worksite environment has been targeted. Overall, there is good evidence that individual-based worksite programs can produce modest weight loss, but the evidence for effects on other risk factors and on long-term health outcomes and costs is inconsistent. There is less evidence for the benefit of environmental-based interventions, and more data will be needed to establish conclusions about the benefits of these types of interventions. A major challenge for employers and researchers in the future will be to find the balance between effectiveness and economic viability of worksite wellness programs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

  1. Mokdad AH, Ford ES, Bowman BA, et al. Prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and obesity-related health risk factors, 2001. JAMA 2003, 289:76–79.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Finkelstein EA, Trogdon J, Cohen JW and Dietz W. Annual medical spending attributable to obesity: payer- and service-specific estimates. Health affairs 2009, 28:w822–w831.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Blumenthal D. Employer-sponsored health insurance in the United States—origins and implications. N.Engl.J.Med. 2006, 355:82–88.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Baicker K, Cutler D and Song Z. Workplace wellness programs can generate savings. Health affairs 2010, 29:1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. • Goetzel RZ, Roemer EC, Pei X, et al. Second-year results of an obesity prevention program at the Dow Chemical Company. J.Occup.Environ.Med. 2010, 52:291–302. This is one of the seven NHLBI-sponsored studies funded to evaluate worksite environmental interventions. The results suggested an effect of the intervention on weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol, but these results must be interpreted cautiously due to low participation and high attrition for measurement of outcomes.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Hertz RP, Unger AN, McDonald M, et al. The impact of obesity on work limitations and cardiovascular risk factors in the U.S. workforce. J.Occup.Environ.Med. 2004, 46:1196–1203.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Goetzel RZ, Hawkins K, Ozminkowski RJ and Wang S. The health and productivity cost burden of the “top 10” physical and mental health conditions affecting six large U.S. employers in 1999. J.Occup.Environ.Med. 2003, 45:5–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Brownell KD, Cohen RY, Stunkard AJ, et al. Weight loss competitions at the work site: impact on weight, morale and cost-effectiveness. Am.J.Public Health 1984, 74:1283–1285.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Blair SN, Piserchia PV, Wilbur CS and Crowder JH. A public health intervention model for work-site health promotion. Impact on exercise and physical fitness in a health promotion plan after 24 months. JAMA 1986, 255:921–926.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Gebhardt DL ,Crump C. Employee fitness and wellness programs in the workplace. Am.Psychol. 1990, 45:262–272.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Pelletier KR. Clinical and cost outcomes of multifactorial, cardiovascular risk management interventions in worksites: a comprehensive review and analysis. J.Occup.Environ.Med. 1997, 39:1154–1169.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Koh HK, Sebelius KG. Promoting prevention through the affordable care act. N.Engl.J.Med. 2010, 363:1296–1299.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Katz DL, O’Connell M, Yeh MC, et al. Public health strategies for preventing and controlling overweight and obesity in school and worksite settings: a report on recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2005, 54:1–12.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. •• Anderson LM, Quinn TA, Glanz K, et al. The effectiveness of worksite nutrition and physical activity interventions for controlling employee overweight and obesity: a systematic review. Am.J.Prev.Med. 2009, 37:340–357. This is systematic review conducted by the Centers for Disease Control’s Task Force on Community Preventive Services that provides a comprehensive evaluation and a pooled estimate of the effectiveness of worksite interventions. It includes excellent discussion of the limitations of current research and questions that should be addressed in future studies.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Pratt CA, Fernandez ID and Stevens VJ. Introduction and overview of worksite studies. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2007, 15:1 S–3 S.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Lemon SC ,Pratt CA. Worksite environmental interventions for obesity control: an overview. J.Occup.Environ.Med. 2010, 52:S1–3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Goetzel RZ, Baker KM, Short ME, et al. First-year results of an obesity prevention program at The Dow Chemical Company. J.Occup.Environ.Med. 2009, 51:125–138.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. • Lemon SC, Zapka J, Li W, et al.: Step ahead a worksite obesity prevention trial among hospital employees. Am.J.Prev.Med. 2010, 38:27–38. This is one of the seven NHLBI-sponsored studies funded to evaluate worksite environmental interventions. It is a well-designed randomized controlled trial that found no difference in weight between the intervention and control sites at 2-year follow-up.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. • French SA, Hannan PJ, Harnack LJ, et al. Pricing and availability intervention in vending machines at four bus garages. J.Occup.Environ.Med. 2010, 52:S29–33. This is one of the 7 NHLBI-sponsored studies funded to evaluate worksite environmental interventions. Included was an innovative intervention to promote sales of healthy food and beverages at worksite vending machines. Results are of sales data only; there was no evaluation of employee weight at the 18-month follow-up.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. • Meenan RT, Vogt TM, Williams AE, et al. Economic evaluation of a worksite obesity prevention and intervention trial among hotel workers in Hawaii. J.Occup.Environ.Med. 2010, 52:S8–13. This is one of the seven NHLBI-sponsored studies funded to evaluate worksite environmental interventions. Employees at hotels in Hawaii were randomized to intensive environmental intervention to prevent obesity. Despite improvements in weight outcomes, intervention program costs far exceeded any cost savings resulting from reduced health care costs, absenteeism, or presenteeism.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Swinburn B ,Egger G. Preventive strategies against weight gain and obesity. Obes.Rev. 2002, 3:289–301.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Dishman RK, Oldenburg B, O’Neal H and Shephard RJ. Worksite physical activity interventions. Am.J.Prev.Med. 1998, 15:344–361.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Tate DF, Wing RR and Winett RA. Using Internet technology to deliver a behavioral weight loss program. JAMA 2001, 285:1172–1177.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Petersen R, Sill S, Lu C, et al. Effectiveness of employee internet-based weight management program. J.Occup.Environ.Med. 2008, 50:163–171.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. •• Soler RE, Leeks KD, Razi S, et al. A systematic review of selected interventions for worksite health promotion. The assessment of health risks with feedback. Am.J.Prev.Med. 2010, 38:S237–62. This is a comprehensive systematic review of worksite programs that utilize health risk assessments. The major conclusion is that this tool is not effective alone but should be used as part of a broader worksite health promotion program.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Benedict MA ,Arterburn D. Worksite-based weight loss programs: a systematic review of recent literature. Am.J.Health Promot. 2008, 22:408–416.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Pelletier KR. A review and analysis of the clinical and cost-effectiveness studies of comprehensive health promotion and disease management programs at the worksite: update VII 2004–2008. J.Occup.Environ.Med. 2009, 51:822–837.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Proper KI, Koning M, van der Beek AJ, et al. The effectiveness of worksite physical activity programs on physical activity, physical fitness, and health. Clin.J.Sport Med. 2003, 13:106–117.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Ferdowsian HR, Barnard ND and Hoover VJ. A multicomponent intervention reduces body weight and cardiovascular risk at a GEICO corporate site. Am.J.Health Promot. 2010, 24:384–387.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Racette SB, Deusinger SS, Inman CL, et al. Worksite Opportunities for Wellness (WOW): effects on cardiovascular disease risk factors after 1 year. Prev.Med. 2009, 49:108–114.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. • Sternfeld B, Block C, Quesenberry CP,Jr, et al. Improving diet and physical activity with ALIVE: a worksite randomized trial. Am.J.Prev.Med. 2009, 36:475–483. This is a randomized controlled trial of a tailored e-mail program to increase employees’ physical activity and improve nutritional behaviors. The intervention group had positive changes in self-reported behaviors. Weight outcomes were not measured.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. • Dishman RK, DeJoy DM, Wilson MG and Vandenberg RJ. Move to Improve: a randomized workplace trial to increase physical activity. Am.J.Prev.Med. 2009, 36:133–141. This is a group-randomized trial of an environmental physical activity intervention at 16 worksites. Employees at intervention sites had significant improvements in moderate-vigorous physical activity at the end of 12 weeks. Longer-term follow up was not performed.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. • Siegel JM, Prelip ML, Erausquin JT and Kim SA. A worksite obesity intervention: results from a group-randomized trial. Am.J.Public Health 2010, 100:327–333. This is a group-randomized trial at 16 schools of an environmental intervention to promote weight loss and physical activity among employees. Intervention sites had significant decrease in BMI, but outcomes were assessed at the school level and not the individual level.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Matson Koffman DM, Goetzel RZ, Anwuri VV, et al. Heart healthy and stroke free: successful business strategies to prevent cardiovascular disease. Am.J.Prev.Med. 2005, 29:113–121.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Trogdon J, Finkelstein EA, Reyes M and Dietz WH. A return-on-investment simulation model of workplace obesity interventions. J.Occup.Environ.Med. 2009, 51:751–758.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Disclosure

Anne Thorndike is supported by the grant 1 K23 HL93221-01 A1 from the National Institutes of Health.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. General Medicine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 50 Staniford Street, 9th floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA

    Anne N. Thorndike

Authors
  1. Anne N. Thorndike
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anne N. Thorndike.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Thorndike, A.N. Workplace Interventions to Reduce Obesity and Cardiometabolic Risk. Curr Cardio Risk Rep 5, 79–85 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12170-010-0138-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12170-010-0138-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation