HEALTHY FOODS AT WORK: GETTING THERE

Transcription

1 HEALTHY FOODS AT WORK: GETTING THERE MMS Worksite Wellness Conference May 1, 2013

2 Overview Background on food environment and its implications for healthy eating in the workplace Business case for supporting healthy eating in the workplace Best practices in promoting healthy eating Making it happen in your workplace Resources

3 It s More Than the Food Eating decisions how many have you made today? Average person makes over 227 food related decisions daily Decisions are impacted by: Knowledge Personal situation Social environment Physical environment How food is presented Wansink B, (2007) Environment and Behavior

4 Food at the Workplace People spend 8 hours a day at work: 50% of waking hours 113 food decision One meal Two snacks Employees can have access to many eating opportunities at work: Cafeteria, vending Treats in lunchroom, candy/snack dishes in work areas Food at meetings and events Which option supports healthy eating?

5 New research: Decision Fatigue The more choices you make throughout the day, the harder each one becomes for your brain Consequences: Reduced will power Shortcuts like impulsive decisions or avoiding decisions. New York Times, August 17,

6 Avoiding Decision Fatigue It's research Barack Obama knows all about it's why he wears a blue or gray suit every day. He doesn t waste his decision making juice on what he's going to eat, either -- not with the war on terror, the economy, the campaign and all that to focus on. "You need to focus your decisionmaking energy. You need to routinize yourself. You can't be going through the day distracted by trivia " Vanity Fair, October 2012

7 How much is too much? 100 calories is equal to: 20 minute walk 8 oz. of regular soda 1 small cookie 5 chocolate covered almonds ¼ commercial muffin ½ donut

8 U.S. Caloric Environment More than 3800 calories per person produced annually More than 2700 per person available for consumption Average person needs 2000 or fewer calories per day. USDA s Economic Research Service

9 Eating Behavior Not only what, but HOW we eat has as much of an impact on health Mindless eating: lack of attention to fullness cues Portion size influences how much we eat Because its there : Impulsive eating decisions Distracted eating on the run, while working, etc.

10 Business Case for Healthy Foods Can save money on health care costs, absenteeism Can reduce the risk of some chronic diseases Healthy employees are more likely to be at work and performing well Improved employee morale Retain key employees and attract new talent

11 Health costs vs. Health conditions Annual cost per risk factor Depression $2,413 High Glucose $1,450 Overweight $1,194 Stress $1,132 Tobacco $713 High Blood Pressure $650 High Cholesterol $454 Source: Hero Risk-Cost Research: The relationship between modifiable health risks and health care expenditures. Goetzel, et al.

12 Making the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice Promoting a healthy food environment as part of comprehensive WW program supports workers in their environment. What is healthy eating? USDA My Plate

13 Strategies that work: Pricing Vending study Reductions of 10%, 25% and 50% on LF snacks increase purchases by 9%, 39% and 93% Cafeteria study Increased cost of regular soft drinks by 35% decreased purchases by 26% French SA (2001) American Journal of Public Health Block JP (2010) American Journal of Public Health

14 Strategies that work: Placement Marketing principals eye level, clear view Point of Purchase (POP) strategies Keep messages short and simple Focus on convenience, taste, effect of healthy food

15 More Strategies that work Policies that encourage healthy foods at meetings and events Limit treats in common areas, replace with healthy options Encourage people to share healthy foods in their work space and at potlucks Include access to a dietician as part of your health benefits

16 What we ve learned Its not easy to change peoples food choices Comprehensive wellness programs get better results Employee involvement is critical Management support is critical Creating a company culture of health is a game changer.

17 Healthy Eating at Work: What it Takes A Comprehensive Approach: Supportive environment Access to healthy food Space to eat Encourage healthy foods in work environment Social support Raise awareness Build skills Policy development Catering Vending Meetings

18 Getting It Done Gather key players and get buy-in Conduct a workplace assessment: capture the current environment and eating practices Form a wellness committee Plan and identify areas for improvement Consult with experts, hire consultants, review best practice Put the plan into action: set specific attainable goals Evaluate efforts Involve employees and leadership

19 Social Support: Skill Building Activities that teach employees how to get actively involved in changing eating behaviors Examples: Sharing recipes Cooking demonstrations Label reading educational activities Weight loss programs Self-screening questionnaires

20 Keeping It Going Solicit employee feedback Polls Surveys Taste testing Focus groups Host healthy foods events Seasonal cooking challenge, potluck salad bars, Be a CSA drop site Offer a farmers market

21 Social Support: Raising Awareness Activities that give employees the information they need to make healthy food choices Examples: Company newsletter Post tips on bulletin boards, pay stubs, etc. Events: contests, challenges, brown bag presentations Health screenings

22 Supportive Environment The surroundings and conditions which foster healthy eating Examples: Increase availability of F & V Make healthy choices convenient and competitively priced Reduce portion sizes Modify cafeteria recipes to improve nutritional value

23 Policy Development Specific guidelines that support healthy eating in the workplace Examples of what a policy can do: Clarify roles of employers and employees Demonstrate commitment to employee health Provide accurate and consistent messaging Increase availability of healthy foods Decrease availability of unhealthy foods Positive role modeling Support making healthy choices

24 Human Resources: Behavioral Supports Examples: Assure employees have enough time to eat Assure employees have a clean and attractive eating environment away from their work space Nutrition counseling is covered by insurance carrier

25 SHIP Success Stories Detroit Lakes Lakeshirts company builds healthier workplace First, in July of 2012, the company built a cafeteria and kitchen for their break room. Providing healthy meals for employees was extremely important to Mike and Mark. Mike and Mark hoped the healthy options served during the employees 30 minute lunch break would help employees choose healthier options and ultimately create a healthier workforce. Rather than have employees run elsewhere to get something fast and less healthy, they built a facility to provide healthy and affordable foods all created on site, said Hutchinson. All food is made fresh on site by company employees and costs less than $3.25 per meal. In addition, all meals were reviewed by a registered dietitian for their nutritional value. In addition, the company also built a lactation room for mothers and infants. Through the worksite wellness collaborative, they were inspired by the presentation that the lactation consult did. It motivated them to move ahead and make space for breastfeeding moms in the workplace, commented Karen. 8/2012

26 Resources Choose MyPlate at: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 at: CDC worksite wellness tools at: CDC worksite scorecard at: Wisconsin worksite wellness toolkit: esource%20kit.pdf Eat Well Work Well at: SHIP worksite wellness implementation guide at: ide pdf

27 Thank You! Susan Bishop Worksite Wellness Planner Minnesota Department of Health