title: First-year results of an obesity prevention program at The Dow Chemical Company.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health and Productivity Studies, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. ron.goetzel@thomsonreuters.com
authors.forename: Ron Z
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Goetzel
authors.forename: Kristin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Meghan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Short
authors.forename: Xiaofei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: Ronald J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ozminkowski
authors.forename: Shaohung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jennie D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: Enid C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Roemer
authors.forename: Beth A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Craun
authors.forename: Karen J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Tully
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Baase
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: DeJoy
authors.forename: Mark G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: 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