Preventing Obesity in the Worksite: A Multi-Message, Multi-"Step" Approach (Go!)

The purpose of this research study is to develop, implement, and evaluate a multi-component obesity prevention program in a workplace setting. A quasi-experimental design will be utilized, with hospital employees receiving the intervention and clinic employees serving as the comparison group. It is hypothesized that the intervention group will see greater changes in healthier eating, increased participation in physical activity, and reduced risk for obesity (weight, BMI, waist circumference).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Obesity
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Weight Gain Prevention Intervention

Detailed Description

Over one-third of Americans are now considered obese. Efforts to prevent obesity involve changing the individual behaviors that contribute to obesity, mainly healthful eating and physical activity, as well as the social and physical context in which those behaviors take place. Due to their existing networks and available resources, worksites are a logical place to help individuals make healthy choices through health promotion efforts. The purpose of this project is to partner with a community hospital to plan, implement, and evaluate a multi-component obesity prevention program in their workplace. The prevention program will target individual and interpersonal determinants of eating behavior and physical activity, as well as the context in which these behaviors take place. This intervention will include four integrated components: (1) nutrition labeling (using stoplights, calories, and step equivalents) in the worksite cafeteria, and modifying the cafeteria environment, (2) distributing pedometers to employees, (3) persuasive media messaging, and (4) the use of "influentials" to address social norms around eating and physical activity behaviors. A quasi-experimental design will examine the effectiveness of this multi-component worksite obesity prevention program.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 499
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Minnesota
    • Duluth, Minnesota, United States, 55805
      • St. Luke's Hospital and Clinics

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Employee at one of the hospital/clinic locations participating in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• none

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: weight gain prevention intervention	Behavioral: Weight Gain Prevention Intervention; Behavioral ApproachesDistribution of pedometersTraffic light labeling in worksite cafeteria and vending machines; Informational & Persuasive MessagesStair use promptsPosters, pamphlets, table toppersWebsite; Social Approachesa. Identification and training of influential employees (Peer Helpers) to shape healthy norms; Environmental ChangesTraffic light labeling1/2 portions at 1/2 priceWalking routesIntroduction of healthier foodsRearrangement of foods in the cafeteriaAdjusting serving spoon size
No Intervention: No treatment comparison group

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Change in Body Weight	Baseline, 6 months, 12 months
Change in Waist Circumference	Baseline, 6 months,12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Eating Behaviors	Eating behaviors will be assessed by the Multifactor Screener (self-report questionnaire) and food purchase data (objective).	Baseline, 6 months, 12 months
Physical Activity	Physical Activity will be assessed by multiple self-report measures (Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and questions about stair use and steps). Stair use will also be assessed by naturalistic observation.	Baseline, 6 months, 12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Minnesota
• Collaborators: Healthy Foods Healthy Lives
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Lara J LaCaille, PhD, University of Minnesota; Principal Investigator: Jennifer F Schultz, PhD, University of Minnesota

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• LaCaille LJ, Schultz JF, Goei R, LaCaille RA, Dauner KN, de Souza R, Nowak AV, Regal R. Go!: results from a quasi-experimental obesity prevention trial with hospital employees. BMC Public Health. 2016 Feb 19;16:171. doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-2828-0.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: November 1, 2010
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 1, 2011
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 24, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 24, 2012
• First Posted (Estimated): April 25, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 22, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 21, 2023
• Last Verified: December 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Exercise; Obesity; Diet; Intervention; Workplace; Weight Gain Prevention
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Overweight; Body Weight; Obesity
• Other Study ID Numbers: 1002S78225

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO