title: Healthy fats for healthy nutrition. An educational approach in the workplace to regulate food choices and improve prevention of non-communicable diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An educational activity, aimed at highlighting the benefits of Mediterranean Diet, compared to less healthy eating patterns, can encourage the adoption and maintenance of a mindful approach to food choice. This is especially important when a progressive shift towards a non-Mediterranean dietary pattern can be observed, even in Mediterranean countries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test a protocol aimed at increasing knowledge and motivation to embrace healthy eating habits and, engendering conscientious food choices, improve the prevention of non-communicable diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Employees were involved in educational activities focusing on a healthy Mediterranean diet and on the role played by extra-virgin olive oil, one of its key components. Food questionnaires were completed both before and after the educational and information activities, in order to assess changes in personal knowledge of and attitudes towards fat consumption.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Answers on dietary guidelines and fat properties were more accurate after the seminars. The results showed increased understanding of the properties of extra-virgin olive oil versus seed oil and a stronger tendency towards healthy food choices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Implementing preventive information and training strategies and tools in the workplace, can motivate a more mindful approach to food choice with the long-term goal of contribute to reducing non-communicable diseases.
authors.affiliation: Health and Safety Department of Rome (SPP), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Piazzale Aldo Moro, 7, 00185, Roma, Italy. roberto.volpe@cnr.it.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Volpe
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biometeorology of Bologna (IBIMET), CNR, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Predieri
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stefano
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biometeorology of Bologna (IBIMET), CNR, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Magli
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massimiliano
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biometeorology of Bologna (IBIMET), CNR, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Martelli
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Francesca
authors.affiliation: Health and Safety Department of Rome (SPP), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Piazzale Aldo Moro, 7, 00185, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Sotis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gianluca
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biometeorology of Bologna (IBIMET), CNR, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Rossi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Federica
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002755:Choice Behavior; D054626:Consumer Health Information; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009753:Nutritive Value; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000193:education*; D000069463:Olive Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000193:education*; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D000069463:Olive Oil
keywords: Educational training; Extra-virgin olive oil; Mediterranean diet; Prevention of non-communicable diseases; Workplace medicine