According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), workplace obesity not only contributes to costs associated with sick leave and absenteeism but is also associated with increased risk of developing cancer, musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular disease, and stress. As such, reducing obesity should be a priority for employers seeking to lower the incidence and severity of chronic illness and the associated demand for health services.
Although chronic diseases like obesity are among the most common and costly of all health problems, your workplace can adopt a number of the following strategies to curb workplace obesity.
Providing Healthier Workplace Foods
Strategies to provide healthier workplace foods at workplaces, meetings, conferences, parties, and other events include:
- Offering a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables. Display fruit and vegetables attractively and prominently.
- Offering beans and legumes as vegetable-based protein sources.
- Offering 100% whole grain products (e.g., breads, rolls, and tortillas) in a variety of forms. Other whole grain products that can be offered include breakfast options such as oatmeal, and snack options such as whole grain crackers and chips.
- Offering smaller portion sizes and preparing foods in ways that reduce added calories. If offering meat, fish or poultry, consider preparing these items by baking, broiling, steaming, or grilling them. Consider adding these items to stews, soups, salad, and mixed dishes to reduce protein portion dish sizes.
- Do not offer foods that contain industrially produced (or artificial) trans-fatty acids. Also, avoid offering foods with “partially hydrogenated” oils in the ingredient list. Limit foods that contain solid fats such as butter, and partially hydrogenated oils, which contain synthetic trans fats.
- Offering foods that are reduced or low in salt and sodium. This can be done by offering foods flavored with herbs and spices instead of salt, and by picking prepackaged items labeled “low” or “reduced” sodium.
- Offering healthier condiments served on the side in small portions. This can be done by encouraging the use of condiments and dressings that contain healthful oils, and by providing naturally low-fat condiments such as mustard, as well as fat-free or low-fat dairy products for coffee and tea.
- Offering snacks that are low in calories and high in nutrients. These snacks include fruit, vegetables, raw or dry-roasted nuts, and seeds with low or no added salt and sugar.
- Limiting sweet treats. This can be done by offering a selection of apples, bananas, pears, and other fruit individually, as a fruit salad, or added in desserts to reduce or replace added sugar. You can also offer frozen 100% juice bars or sorbets instead of high-calorie desserts, and low-fat or non-fat yogurt. Offer smaller size or “mini” desserts to limit calories.
- Discouraging the practice of “dumping” or leaving leftovers of less healthy foods (like Halloween candy or birthday cake) in common areas.
- Offering water and low-calorie beverages, in 12 oz. or smaller beverage cups. Provide pitchers and cups for drinking water. Offer drinks with no more than 40 calories per 12 ounce serving (e.g., water with lemon, unsweetened coffee or tea, plain seltzer, or seltzer with a splash of 100% juice).
Encouraging Healthier Eating Styles
Employers can also encourage healthier eating styles among employees. Healthier eating styles begin with making small changes over time, in the following areas:
- Whole fruits. Encourage healthy eating styles by encouraging employees to focus on whole fruits more often than drinking 100% juice. Provide fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruits instead of cookies, brownies or other sugar-sweetened treats. Offer whole fruits without saturated fat, sodium, or added sugars as dessert.
- Vegetables. Encourage employees to consume vegetables by offering green, red, and orange choices. If your workplace offers salads, consider adding fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables to salads. Prepare vegetables without sauces, gravies, or glazes to lower the amount of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars.
- Protein. Employees can be encouraged to vary their protein routine by mixing up sources of protein provided in the workplace, such as beans, peas, unsalted nuts and seeds.
- Sodium. Employers can consider purchasing snacks that are labeled “Low Sodium,” “Salt/Sodium-Free,” “Very Low Sodium,” “Reduced Sodium,” “Lightly Salted,” or “No-Salt Added.” Employers can encourage employees to read Nutrition Facts labels to find products with less saturated fat and sodium, and to be mindful of hidden sources of sodium such as sauces and dressings.
- According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), eating enough potassium each day can help lower blood pressure by balancing out some of sodium’s harmful effects. Employers can offer a variety of potassium-rich snacks that include:
- Bananas
- Carrot, orange, and pomegranate juice
- Non-fat and low-fat yogurt
- Tomatoes
- According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), eating enough potassium each day can help lower blood pressure by balancing out some of sodium’s harmful effects. Employers can offer a variety of potassium-rich snacks that include:
Note: Before employees begin a diet or weight loss program, they should talk to their doctors about safe and effective ways to control weight.
Encouraging Use of Online Weight-Control Tools
Encourage employees to use free, government-sponsored tools that assist with weight loss efforts. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through its choosemyplate.gov website, offers an interactive “MyPlate” that provides detailed information about the five food groups (fruits, grains, vegetables, protein, and dairy), helpful tips as to how to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, and tips for avoiding excessive consumption of dairy products and protein.
The “choosemyplate.gov” website offers a free online tool called SuperTracker, a food and physical activity tracker developed by the USDA, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (USDA, CNPP). SuperTracker allows individuals to track their food intake in the dietary guidelines put out by the USDA, and can be used by worksite wellness coordinators to help employees:
- Choose a lifestyle that supports healthy eating and physical activity;
- Reduce risk of chronic disease; and
- Manage weight.
Note: Employers should consult with knowledgeable legal counsel in developing an obesity intervention program, to ensure employee medical privacy is protected, and to ensure that the program is in compliance with workplace anti-discrimination laws.
