Worksite Weight Loss Intervention for Employees in Stressful Workplaces: A Pilot Study and Baseline Survey Indicators of Success

Faghri, Pouran D.; Duffy, Valerie B.; Benson, Nicole R.; Cherniack, Martin G.

doi:10.4172/2165-7904.1000121

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…This was a cross-sectional study of a survey called the Nutrition and Physical Activity Questionnaire (NPAQ) [19] completed by a group of correctional employees.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Health Behavior Knowledge and Self-efficacy as Predictors of Body Weight

Faghri

Buden

2015

J Nutr Disorders Ther

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Obesity is a public health concern with significant economic costs affecting employers. Worksite wellness programs benefit from developing tailored interventions that consider employees' health-related knowledge and self-efficacy to change behavior. Correction is a high stress occupation with elevated rates of overweight and obesity. Poor stress management and barriers to achieve optimal health in the work environment increases the need for adequate knowledge and self-efficacy, or the level of confidence to eat healthy and be physically active. This cross-sectional pilot study used a sample of sixteen correctional employees who participated in a Nutrition and Physical Activity Questionnaire. This survey assesses knowledge and self-efficacy for nutrition and physical activity and current health behaviors, such as current dietary habits and level of physical activity. Demographic and anthropometric data were also collected for statistical analyses. Participants were primarily male correction officers working first shift with a mean (±SE) BMI of 29 (±1.05) kg/m 2 , classified as overweight. Multiple regression analyses revealed that knowledge and self-efficacy scores predicted variation in BMI when controlling for other scores in the model. Findings from this study may be applicable for future health promotion interventions in high-risk occupations. In high-risk occupations such as corrections, understanding environmental and organizational barriers to achieving good health and reducing chronic disease risk is important. However, in addition to reducing these barriers, increasing knowledge, improving skills and self-efficacy to achieve good health are also critical in order to develop effective interventions for this population.

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“…This was a cross-sectional study of a survey called the Nutrition and Physical Activity Questionnaire (NPAQ) [19] completed by a group of correctional employees.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nutrition and physical activity questionnaire: The NPAQ developed by Faghri et al [19] consists of 67 multiple-choice items divided into four sections and takes approximately 35-40 minutes to complete. Higher sum scores within each domain are indicative of greater knowledge, self-efficacy and healthier behaviors.…”

Section: Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health Behavior Knowledge and Self-efficacy as Predictors of Body Weight

Faghri

Buden

2015

J Nutr Disorders Ther

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“…Novel methods of capturing diet behaviors for intervention studies are needed [2]. This paper extends our research on reported food/beverage liking as a novel and valid measure of dietary behaviors [4][5][6] that is feasible in workplace settings [7][8][9] as a potential tool for dietary evaluation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 69%

A Simple Liking Survey Captures Behaviors Associated with Weight Loss in a Worksite Program among Women at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

et al. 2021

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In a secondary analysis, we assessed the ability of dietary and physical activity surveys to explain variability in weight loss within a worksite-adapted Diabetes Prevention Program. The program involved 58 overweight/obese female employees (average age = 46 ± 11 years SD; average body mass index = 34.7 ± 7.0 kg/m2 SD) of four long-term care facilities who survey-reported liking and frequency of dietary and physical activity behaviors. Data were analyzed using a latent variable approach, analysis of covariance, and nested regression analysis to predict percent weight change from baseline to intervention end at week 16 (average loss = 3.0%; range—6% gain to 17% loss), and follow-up at week 28 (average loss = 2.0%; range—8% gain to 16% loss). Using baseline responses, restrained eaters (reporting liking but low intakes of high fat/sweets) achieved greater weight loss at 28 weeks than those reporting high liking/high intake (average loss = 3.5 ± 0.9% versus 1.0 ± 0.8% S.E., respectively). Examining the dietary surveys separately, only improvements in liking for a healthy diet were associated significantly with weight loss (predicting 44% of total variance, p < 0.001). By contrasting liking versus intake changes, women reporting concurrent healthier diet liking and healthier intake lost the most weight (average loss = 5.4 ± 1.1% S.E.); those reporting eating healthier but not healthier diet liking (possible misreporting) gained weight (average gain = 0.3 ± 1.4% S.E.). Change in liking and frequency of physical activity were highly correlated but neither predicted weight loss independently. These pilot data support surveying dietary likes/dislikes as a useful measure to capture dietary behaviors associated with weight loss in worksite-based programs. Comparing dietary likes and intake may identify behaviors consistent (appropriate dietary restraint) or inconsistent (misreporting) with weight loss success.

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