Improving employee health: evaluation of a worksite lifestyle change program to decrease risk factors for diabetes...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Preventive Medicine
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease pose significant public health challenges.
• Lifestyle factors are critical in managing and preventing these conditions.
• Worksite interventions offer a promising avenue for population-level health improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a behavioral lifestyle intervention delivered in a worksite setting.
• To assess the program's impact on type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk factors.
• To determine the feasibility of implementing such programs in the workplace.

Main Methods:

• Randomized controlled trial with a 6-month delayed control group design.
• A year-long program focused on weight loss and increased physical activity.
• Intervention delivered weekly for 3 months, then monthly.

Main Results:

• The immediate intervention group showed significantly greater weight loss (-10.4 lb, 5.1%) compared to the delayed group (-2.3 lb, 1%) at 6 months (P=0.0001).
• Improvements were observed in physical activity, HbA1c, and other cardiovascular risk factors.
• The delayed group achieved similar positive outcomes after completing the intervention.

Conclusions:

• A worksite behavioral lifestyle intervention is feasible and effective.
• Significant improvements in risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease were achieved.
• Workplace-based programs can be a valuable strategy for chronic disease prevention.