A novel behavioral science-based health checkup program and subsequent metabolic risk reductions in a workplace: Checkup championship

Abstract

The effectiveness of general health checkups and lifestyle counseling has been questioned. This study examined whether a workplace health promotion program implemented during a health checkup was associated with metabolic syndrome-related indicators. Hakuhodo DY group, one of Japan's largest advertising agencies, implemented a behavioral science-based program called “Checkup Championship” (Kenshin-sen in Japanese) in 2019, in which all employees could voluntarily participate. We studied 3697 employees (2818 men and 879 women, mean age: 40.7 years), consisting of 1509 program participants and 2188 non-participants. The characteristics of participants and non-participants were balanced using inverse probability weighting. We used their data from the health checkups in 2018 and 2019 together with other covariates and performed a difference-in-differences analysis using a linear mixed model. After program implementation, greater reductions were observed among participants compared with non-participants in weight (−0.66 kg, 95% confidence interval: −0.84 to −0.47), body mass index (−0.23 kg/m2, −0.29 to −0.16), waist circumference (−0.67 cm, −0.91 to −0.43), systolic blood pressure (−1.13 mmHg, −2.10 to −0.16), and diastolic blood pressure (−0.84 mmHg, −1.53 to −0.15). In addition, we observed greater reductions in weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol among participants who were with two or more risk factors for metabolic syndrome than other participants. We found that participation in a health checkup program based on behavioral science was associated with reduced metabolic syndrome-related indicators. There may be room for improvement in the effectiveness of general health checkups.