Feasibility and Effectiveness of a Worksite-Weight-Loss Program for Cancer Prevention among School-District Employees with Overweight and Obesity

Che Young Lee, Michael C. Robertson, Hannah Johnston, Thuan Le, Margaret Raber, Ruth Rechis, Katherine Oestman, Alise Neff, Amber Macneish, Karen M. Basen-Engquist

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The effects of Vibrant Lives, a 6-month worksite-weight-loss program, were examined in a cohort of school-district employees with overweight or obesity. The VL Basic (VLB) participants received materials and tailored text messages, the VL Plus (VLP) participants additionally received WIFI-enabled activity monitors and scales and participated in health challenges throughout the school year, and the VL Plus with Support (VLP + S) participants additionally received coaching support. The levels of program satisfaction and retention and changes in weight, physical activity (PA), and diet were compared across groups using Pearson chi-square tests, repeated-measure mixed models, and logistic regression. After the program, the VLB (n = 131), VLP (n = 87), and VLP + S (n = 88) groups had average weight losses of 2.5, 2.5, and 3.4 kg, respectively, and average increases in weekly PA of 40.4, 35.8, and 65.7 min, respectively. The VLP + S participants were more likely than the other participants to have clinically significant weight loss (≥3%; p = 0.026). Compared with the VLB participants, the VLP participants were less likely to meet the recommendations for consuming fast food (p = 0.022) and sugar-sweetened beverages (p = 0.010). The VLP and VLP + S participants reported higher program satisfaction than the VLB participants. The VL program facilitates weight loss among school-district employees with overweight and obesity by increasing their PA and healthy diet.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number538
JournalInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume20
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2023

Keywords

  • cancer prevention
  • community intervention
  • health behaviors
  • weight loss
  • worksite intervention

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pollution
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

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