Implementing a 5-a-day peer health educator program for public sector labor and trades employees

Area of Science:

• Workplace Health Promotion
• Nutrition Education
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Workplace wellness programs face challenges reaching diverse employees.
• Informal social networks can be leveraged for health interventions.
• Dietary improvements are crucial for employee well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of peer education in improving fruit and vegetable intake.
• To assess the implementation, reach, and sustained use of a peer education program.
• To explore the impact of peer education on dietary changes among multicultural employees.

Main Methods:

• Peer educators logged coworker interactions and program material distribution.
• Employee surveys measured program reach and self-reported dietary changes.
• Statistical analysis examined the association between peer contact and dietary intake.

Main Results:

• Peer educators logged over 9,000 coworker contacts, averaging 10.9 minutes each.
• A significant percentage of employees (59%) discussed the program with peer educators, and 54% read materials post-program.
• Employee-reported peer contact positively correlated with increased fruit and vegetable consumption.

Conclusions:

• Peer education was successfully implemented, achieving broad reach and sustained engagement.
• The program demonstrated lasting improvements in employee fruit and vegetable intake.
• Peer education is a viable strategy for workplace wellness, especially for employees facing barriers to traditional health activities.