Corporate Wellness Programs: Focus on Nutrition Programs

Advantages of Nutrition Programs

Nutrition directly impacts nearly every aspect of physical and mental health. A healthy diet can help protect against such conditions as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, stroke, certain cancers and depression. Obesity, which is among the most common conditions linked to diet, affects a record number of Americans.

The American Journal of Health Promotion estimates the cost of obesity to U.S. organization to exceed $12.5 billion in health care, sick leave, and life and disability insurance. Further, one research study reports that obesity raises healthcare costs by 36 percent and medication costs by 77 percent. To offset the health risks of obesity and poor diet, many companies have committed to helping staff members ensure proper nutrition and undertake weight control initiatives.

Popular nutrition initiatives:

Fruit and Vegetable Consumption
1.    Provide healthy eating reminders and prompts to staff members via multiple means (i.e. e-mail, posters, payroll stuffers, etc.).
2.    Provide appealing, low-cost fruits and vegetables in vending machines and in the cafeteria.
3.    Provide cookbooks, food preparation, and cooking classes for staff members’ families.
4.    Ensure onsite cafeterias follow healthy cooking practices and set nutritional standards for foods served that align with the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
5.    Provide healthy foods at meetings, conferences, and catered events.
6.    Use point-of-decision prompts as a marketing technique to promote healthier choices.
7.    Provide healthy cooking demonstrations that teach skills (i.e. fruit and vegetable selection and preparation).
8.    Provide taste-testing opportunities at the workplace.
9.    Provide employee-led campaigns, demonstrations or programs.
10.    Provide local fruits and vegetables at the workplace (i.e. workplace farmer’s market or community-supported agriculture drop-off point).
11.    Use competitive pricing (price non-nutritious foods in vending machines and cafeterias at higher prices).
12.    Provide protected time and dedicated space away from the work area for breaks and lunch.
13.    Make kitchen equipment available to staff members.
14.    Provide an opportunity for onsite gardening if possible.

Sweetened Beverage Consumption
1.    Make water available throughout the day.
2.    Provide appealing, low-cost healthful drink options in vending machines and the cafeteria.
3.    Modify worksite vending contracts to increase the number of healthy options.

4.    Price non-nutritious beverages at a higher cost.
5.    Use point-of-decision prompts to promote healthier choices.

Portion Control
1.    Label foods to show serving size and/or nutritional content.
2.    Provide food models, food scales for weighing and pictures to help staff members assess portion size.
3.    Provide appropriate portion sizes at meetings, workplace events and in the cafeteria.

Nutrition initiatives in action

While many companies address weight management through fitness programs, companies are increasingly focusing on nutrition through separate programming. Recognizing the productivity boost and lowered medical expenditures that come with maintaining a healthy weight, many companies may help pay for obesity treatments for staff members. By way of example, to improve the health of dangerously obese staff members, drug maker Wyeth reportedly pays for stomach-shrinking surgeries that carry price tags of up to $40,000.

A 2003 Society of Human Resource Management research study shows that 24 percent of companies offer weight loss initiatives. In Ohio, Honda offers an onsite, registered dietitian who provides individual or group consultations on weight management. Body fat assessment and body mass index (BMI) measurements are available to staff members at any time.

At Grange Insurance’s Columbus headquarters, the cafeteria chef analyzes meals and provides staff members basic nutrition information, including Weight Watchers points. Many companies partner with the American Cancer Society to offer nutrition information through the ”5-ADay” program, which provides companies free signage and educational materials about the importance of eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. The program also offers a fruit and vegetable ”frequency card” that gives staff members a free portion of fruit or vegetables after he or she has purchased a preset number.