Impact of a three-year worksite wellness program on employee blood lipid levels

Worksite wellness programs can be used to implement interventions aimed at addressing current rates of obesity and related chronic disease and their associated health care costs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a worksite wellness program on blood lipid levels among employees at a rural manufacturing plant in Northern California. Pre to post changes were analyzed using paired sample ttests. Demographic data collected as part of a subsequent nutrition education component of the program indicated that the employees were mostly male (88%) and Caucasian (71%), with a mean age of 47 ± 9 years. Forty-seven percent of the subjects were overweight and 38% obese. Following the three-year worksite wellness program, subjects’ total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels decreased, while their HDL-cholesterol levels increased significantly. These results suggest that long-term worksite wellness programs can improve employee health outcomes

WIC Participants’ Perceived Behavioral Control, Attitudes Toward, and Factors Influencing Behavioral Intentions to Redeeming Cash-Value Vouchers at Certified Farmers Markets

Background: The California Supplement Nutrition Program Women, Infants and Children (WIC) offer a Cash-Value (CV) voucher for the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables that can be used at Certified Farmers’ Markets (CFM). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with redeeming WIC CV vouchers at (CFM) among English and Spanish speakers. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study; in which Theory of Planned Behavior constructs were included in a self-report survey. Data were collected from women (n=252) at three rural northern California WIC clinics for two weeks. Results: Proportionately more Spanish speakers had greater perceived behavioral control for redeeming CV vouchers at CFM. Not enough variety of produce offered (p<0.001), not knowing what produce to buy (p=0.038), and unfavorable weather conditions (p<0.001) were proportionately lower among English speakers than Spanish speakers. Proportionately more Spanish speakers identified availability of organic produce (p<0.001), other items for sale than just produce (p<0.001), and entertainment provided (p<0.001) as a factor to redeem CV vouchers. Approximately 43% of English speakers identified unfavorable weather as a barrier to attend CFM. Conclusion: WIC educators and market managers may use the benefits and barriers identified by ethnic groups to develop interventions that encourage WIC participants to redeem CV vouchers at CFM

The Relationship Between Intuitive Eating and Diet Quality in a College Population

Many college students have nutrient poor and energy dense diets and are also more likely to experience poor body image, which can result in unsafe dieting behaviors for the purpose of managing weight. Intuitive eating is an alternative approach to dieting that focuses on physiological hunger and fullness cues, while eating for both satisfaction and health without restriction of any foods. This study examined the association between intuitive eating and diet quality in a college population. College students, aged 18-56 years, completed an online survey which assessed intuitive eating using the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2) and diet quality using the Starting The Conversation (STC) simplified food frequency instrument. IES-2 total score was positively correlated with higher overall diet quality and was negatively correlated with fast food and chip consumption. Eating for physical rather than emotional reasons and body-food choice congruence IES-2 subscales were positively correlated with diet quality while the unconditional permission to eat subscale was negatively correlated with diet quality. Strategies that focus on eating for health and well-being and minimize emotional eating are associated with higher overall diet quality and may be incorporated in dietary interventions among college students aimed at promoting healthy behaviors

Nutrition lessons improve Hispanic teenage girls' knowledge

Nutrition knowledge and dietary intake among Hispanic teenage girls were assessed before and after a nutrition education intervention. We found that subjects were consuming several important nutrients at levels below current government recommendations. On average, Hispanic teenage girls consumed folate, calcium, zinc and iron at levels that were 40%, 36%, 18% and 8% below current recommendations, respectively. Participation in the five-lesson nutrition education program resulted in a 50% increase in nutrition knowledge and modest changes in dietary behavior; we observed improved dietary intake of vitamin C. Long-term interventions are needed to improve dietary habits as one means of enhancing overall health