Images of a healthy worksite: A group-randomized trial for worksite weight gain prevention with employee participation in intervention design

Objectives. We assessed the effects of a worksite multiple-component intervention addressing diet and physical activity on employees' mean body mass index (BMI) and the percentage of employees who were overweight or obese. Methods. This group-randomized trial (n = 3799) was conducted at 10 worksites in the northeastern United States. Worksites were paired and allocated into intervention and control conditions. Within- and between-groups changes in mean BMIs and in the percentage of overweight or obese employees were examined in a volunteer sample. Results. Within-group mean BMIs decreased by 0.54 kilograms per meter squared (P=.02) and 0.12 kilograms per meter squared (P=.73) at the intervention and control worksites, respectively, resulting in a difference in differences (DID) decrease of 0.42 kilograms per meter squared (P=.33). The within-group percentage of overweight or obese employees decreased by 3.7% (P=.07) at the intervention worksites and increased by 4.9% (P=.1) at the control worksites, resulting in a DID decline of 8.6% (P=.02). Conclusions. Our findings support a worksite population strategy that might eventually reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity by minimizing environmental exposures to calorically dense foods and increasing exposures to opportunities for energy expenditure within worksite settings.