First-year results of an obesity prevention program at The Dow Chemical Company.
OBJECTIVE
To examine first-year results from a workplace environmental obesity prevention program at The Dow Chemical Company.


METHODS
A quasi-experimental cohort study was conducted among employees at nine treatment worksites (n = 8013) who received environmental weight management interventions and three control worksites (n = 2269). Changes in employees' weight, body mass index (BMI), and other health risks were examined using chi2 and t-tests.


RESULTS
After 1 year, a modest treatment effect was observed for weight and BMI largely because the control group subjects gained weight; however, no effect was observed for overweight and obesity prevalence. Other risk factors (tobacco use, high blood pressure, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure values) decreased significantly, although blood glucose (high risk prevalence and values) increased.


CONCLUSIONS
Environmental changes to the workplace can achieve modest improvements in employees' health risks, including weight and BMI measures, in 1 year.
Goetzel
Ron Z
RZ
Institute for Health and Productivity Studies, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. ron.goetzel@thomsonreuters.com
Baker
Kristin M
KM
Short
Meghan E
ME
Pei
Xiaofei
X
Ozminkowski
Ronald J
RJ
Wang
Shaohung
S
Bowen
Jennie D
JD
Roemer
Enid C
EC
Craun
Beth A
BA
Tully
Karen J
KJ
Baase
Catherine M
CM
DeJoy
David M
DM
Wilson
Mark G
MG
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002617:Chemical Industry; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology