Promising practices in promotion of healthy weight at small and medium-sized US worksites.
BACKGROUND
We developed a new evaluation method to identify promising practices for promoting healthy weight among employees at small and medium-sized worksites.


METHODS
We used a structured rating and selection process to select 9 worksites with approximately 100 to 3,000 employees from a pool of worksites with health promotion programs reputed to be exemplary. A site visit over 2 sequential half-days at each site included interviews with senior management, program staff, vendors, and wellness committees; observation guided by a written environmental assessment; and structured review of program data on health outcomes of wellness program participants. The team corroborated findings from interviews, observations, and reviews of aggregate data on health outcomes of participants. Using the site visit reports, the project team and a separate panel of experts identified worksite health promotion practices that were promising, innovative, feasible to implement in a variety of settings, sustainable, and relevant for public health.


RESULTS
Innovative practices included peer coaching, wellness screening coupled with motivational interviewing and follow-up, free access to fitness facilities, and incentives such as days of paid leave for participation in wellness programs. Introduction of incentives was associated with higher participation rates. To build the business case for their programs, staff at several worksites used aggregate data on decreases in high blood pressure, serum cholesterol concentrations, and body weight in longitudinal samples of program participants.


CONCLUSIONS
The evaluation method identified promising practices implemented at small and medium-sized worksites to promote healthy weight and related favorable health outcomes.
Hersey
James
J
RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Rd, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194, USA.
Williams-Piehota
Pamela
P
Sparling
Phillip B
PB
Alexander
Jennifer
J
Hill
Mary D
MD
Isenberg
Karen Bandel
KB
Rooks
Adrienne
A
Dunet
Diane O
DO
D001835:Body Weight; D006076:Government; D006268:Health Facilities; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities; D015431:Weight Loss; D017132:Workplace / Q000458:organization & administration*
J Occup Environ Med. 2005 Oct;47(10):1051-8
16217246
Am J Health Promot. 2001 Nov-Dec;16(2):107-16
11727590
Am J Health Promot. 1996 Jul-Aug;10(6):453-70
10163311
JAMA. 2001 Sep 12;286(10):1195-200
11559264
Health Educ Q. 1988 Winter;15(4):351-77
3068205
Am J Health Promot. 1993 Sep-Oct;8(1):50-62
10146406
Am J Health Promot. 1997 Mar-Apr;11(4):290-307
10165522
Am J Health Promot. 2005 Jan-Feb;19(3):167-93
15693346
MMWR Recomm Rep. 1999 Sep 17;48(RR-11):1-40
10499397
JAMA. 2004 Mar 10;291(10):1238-45
15010446
Am J Health Promot. 1996 Jul-Aug;10(6):429-35
10163309
Am J Health Promot. 2002 May-Jun;16(5):288-99
12053440
Health Educ Behav. 2000 Feb;27(1):112-25
10709796
Am J Health Promot. 2005 Sep-Oct;20(1):45-51
16171161
Am J Health Promot. 1996 May-Jun;10(5):380-8
10163308
Prev Sci. 2005 Sep;6(3):151-75
16365954
MMWR Recomm Rep. 2005 Oct 7;54(RR-10):1-12
16261131
Prev Med. 2004 Sep;39 Suppl 2:S94-100
15313078
Am J Health Promot. 1999 Jul-Aug;13(6):333-45, iii
10557506
Prev Chronic Dis. 2008 Oct;5(4):A118
18793506