Changing risk behaviours for non-communicable disease in New Zealand working men - is workplace intervention effective?

Aims. To evaluate the effectiveness of a health promotionprogramme targeting dietary behaviours and physicalactivity among male hourly-paid workers and to exploredemographic and attitudinal influences on dietary patternsat baseline.Methods. A controlled field trial compared workers at oneintervention and one control worksite. The interventioncomprised nutrition displays in the cafeteria and monthly30-minute workshops for six months. Key outcomemeasures at six and twelve-months were self-reporteddietary and lifestyle behaviours, nutrition knowledge, bodymass index (BMI), waist circumference and blood pressure.Results. 132 men at the intervention site and 121 men at thecontrol site participated in the study and a high retention rate(94% at 6-months and 89% at 12-months) was achieved. Atbaseline, 40% of the total sample (253) were obese, 30% hadelevated blood pressure, 59% indicated an excessive fat intakeand 92% did not meet the recommended vegetable and fruitintake. The intervention reduced fat intake, increasedvegetable intake and physical activity, improved nutritionknowledge and reduced systolic blood pressure whencompared to the control site. There was no difference inchange in mean BMI or waist circumference. Reduction inBMI was associated with reduction in fat intake.Discussion. Low intensity workplace intervention cansignificantly improve reported health behaviours andnutrition knowledge although the impact on moreobjective measures of risk was variable. A longer durationor more intensive intervention may be required to achievefurther reduction in risk factors.