title: Worksite interventions: improving lifestyle habits among Latin American adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Worksite-based interventions have been shown to result consistently in significant improvements in weight- and health-related outcomes among the working adult population; however, applicability and effectiveness of studies has often been limited by inadequate reporting of age and ethnicity. This study aimed to examine work-based interventions among Latinos in the U.S. and Latin America.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were abstracted (and analyzed) from "parent" study Guide to Obesity Prevention in Latin American and the U.S. (GOL), between January 2010 and December 2011. Manuscripts from 1965 to 2010 were evaluated according to inclusion criteria for interventions, including a sample population of at least 50% Latinos or results stratified by ethnicity, at least one obesity-related outcome measure evaluated before and after intervention, and worksite setting and comparison of an intervention group to a non-intervention group (including pre-post designs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 105 interventions abstracted, five were work-based interventions. The average participant age was 45 years, with an average of 58% women. Four of the five interventions had a pre-post study design that received a fair execution score and lowest design-suitability score, whereas one group RCT intervention had the greatest design suitability and good execution. For two studies, Cohen's d effect sizes ranged from 0.09 to 0.603. Effect sizes could not be calculated for three of the interventions. Three interventions found significant outcomes for BMI, three for weight, two for waist circumference, and one for waist-to-hip ratio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Few studies have focused on work-based interventions specifically aimed at Latinos. This review identified promising strategies for reducing obesity in the workplace.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Behavioral and Community Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92123, USA.
authors.forename: Setoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dimsdale
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nagle
authors.forename: Christina K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Holub
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Simón
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barquera
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Elder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006184:Habits; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D017132:Workplace