Preventing Overweight and Obesity - Prevention Programs At The Work Site

Since more than 100 million Americans spend a large number of their waking hours at work, the work site presents another opportunity for prevention programs. The FIGURE 10.5
Post-test health and nutrition survey Call to Action advised moving beyond traditional work-place health education programs. It recommended more intensive and comprehensive efforts such as modifying physical and social environments, instituting policies consistent with the objective of preventing overweight and obesity, and extending work-site prevention efforts not only to employees but also to the families of employees and their communities.

Examples of work-site obesity prevention strategies include:

• Instituting flexible work hours and schedules to create opportunities for regular physical activity during the workday.
• Ensuring that healthy food options are available.
• Establishing work-site exercise facilities or creating incentives for employees to join local fitness centers.
• Developing incentives for workers to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
• Encouraging employers to require weight management and physical activity counseling as covered benefits in health insurance contracts.
• Creating work environments that promote and support breastfeeding.
• Instituting federal work-site programs promoting healthy eating and physical activity that not only can serve as models but also may be easily adapted for use in the private sector.