Abstract
Worksite wellness programs can be used to implement interventions aimed at addressing current rates of obesity and related chronic disease and their associated health care costs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a worksite wellness program on blood lipid levels among employees at a rural manufacturing plant in Northern California. Pre to post changes were analyzed using paired sample ttests. Demographic data collected as part of a subsequent nutrition education component of the program indicated that the employees were mostly male (88%) and Caucasian (71%), with a mean age of 47 ± 9 years. Forty-seven percent of the subjects were overweight and 38% obese. Following the three-year worksite wellness program, subjects’ total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels decreased, while their HDL-cholesterol levels increased significantly. These results suggest that long-term worksite wellness programs can improve employee health outcomes.
Highlights
The economic costs of obesity are rising steadily, following the pattern of our nation’s obesity epidemic (Chenoweth, 2005)
Since obesity is associated with an increased risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer, health care costs are on the rise as well
While many health habits are formed in the home, the worksite is a natural place to begin redirecting unhealthy behaviors and potentially reduce health care costs, as most Americans spend a great deal of time at their chosen profession
Summary
The economic costs of obesity are rising steadily, following the pattern of our nation’s obesity epidemic (Chenoweth, 2005). Since obesity is associated with an increased risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer, health care costs are on the rise as well. A report prepared for the California Department of Health Services found that in California, the direct and indirect medical care costs from inactivity, overweight and obesity were $21.7 billion in the year 2000 and rose to approximately $28.7 billion in 2005 (Chenoweth, 2005). The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating two cups of fruit and two and a half cups of vegetables each day (USDA & DHHS, 2005). Only about 22% of Americans eat the recommended servings (Produce for Better Health Foundation, 2002). Sedentary lifestyles prevent many Americans from getting the 10,000 steps per day currently recommended (California Nutrition Network, 2005)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
