title: Four worksite weight loss programs with high-stress occupations using a meal replacement product.
abstract: The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of worksite weight reduction programs at high-stress worksites. We employed a longitudinal study based on two meal replacements daily with subjects choosing a third 'sensible' meal. The subjects were 492 healthy, overweight men and women working in high-stress occupations (police, hospital health professionals, flight crew members, firefighters). The mean group ages ranged from 32.17 +/- 5.70 to 44.50 +/- 16.40 years; the mean group body mass indexes (BMIs) ranged from 27.40 +/- 2.54 to 32.90 +/- 3.39 kg/m(2). The completion rate for the 12 weeks was 79.8%. Reductions in mean weight and mean BMI were greater than in medically supervised clinical trials with non-worksite adults. Firefighters lost the most weight and medical personnel the least. Follow-up found considerable retention of weight loss. Men lost significantly more weight than women (p < 0.006). We conclude that employees in some high-stress settings may participate productively in worksite weight reduction and maintenance programs that use meal replacements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, City University of New York Graduate School, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Winick
authors.forename: D Q
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Rothacker
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Norman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014481:United States; D015431:Weight Loss; D017132:Workplace