worksite wellness karensa tischer, rdpartnership4health.org/assets/etofilebrowser/ww... · pse;...
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Worksite WellnessKarensa Tischer, RD
Nutrition Policy, Systems and
Environmental Change:
Worksite Wellness Makes Good Sense
PSE; what is it?
• Policy, systems and environmental change is an approach used to improve the overall health of a community
• PSE modifies the environment to make healthy choices practical and available to all
• By changing PSE’s, we can tackle health issues like obesity, diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases
Chronic Disease
• Account for 7 of 10 deaths in the United States
• Heart disease is the leading cause of death in U.S.
• Chronic diseases account for a significant amount of healthcare spending
• CDC & Prevention have declared chronic diseases a public health challenge
• Sources:
-The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2010)
-Minnesota Department of Health (MDH, 2016)
Prevention is Key
• Many chronic diseases are preventable and linked to lifestyle
• Consume nutritious foods & healthy beverages
• Be physically active
• Avoid tobacco use
• With the majority of many employee’s time spent in the workplace = WORKSITE WELLNESS MAKES SENSE!
2015 US Dietary Guidelines
Why Consider Nutrition Changes in the Workplace?
• Healthy Employees-are good for the bottom line-feel more productive and have increased energy
• Employees are more likely to make healthful decisions related to food & beverages when the environment supports it!
Keys to SuccessCreating a Healthy Environment in the Workplace
• Organizational leader support• Convene a workgroup • Assess the environment & areas for change• Identify vendors & caterers who can support your
environment• Develop a policy• Provide education to employees• Address challenges
Best Practice: A Healthy Food & Beverage Policy
• A policy shows a company’s commitment to providing a healthy environment
• Gives credibility and ensures sustainability to the environmental change
• Communicates to all employees the importance and intent behind the changes
• Can more easily be incorporated into vending contracts and requests for bids
Policy Development
• There is no “one size fits all” for food & beverage policies • Each organization must consider its own culture and needs
Ideally a food and beverage policy would cover:• Items provided and served at meetings/events• Items available in snack stations• Items sold in cafeterias and vending machines• Identify a standard for “healthy” food & beverages, including
serving size• Identify a criteria of choices (example: only non-sugary
beverages will be served at meetings)
Components of a STRONG food & beverage policy:• Eliminates all sugary beverages from being served or sold in
the workplace• Provide only items that meet identified healthy standards in
meetings/events (these standards would be identified within your policy)
• Encourages consumption of water by making it accessible and available at all times free of charge
• Provides education to staff to reinforce healthy messages
Example of other policy standards:• At least 50% of offerings in vending machines are water or no-
calorie choices• Pricing structure developed so that healthy items are priced
the same or less than unhealthy items
Quick – Start IdeasEasy ways to start making changes now!
•Add fresh fruit and vegetable vending in staff lounge or in individual departments
•Increase healthy options in cafeteria line
•Change pricing in vending and/or cafeteria: raise price of unhealthy items while lowering prices for healthy items
•Start a healthy eating board in breakroom with nutrition information, healthy messaging, healthy recipe ideas
•Host a CSA drop-site at your workplace
Healthy Beverages
• According to industry surveys, employees rate water as the most important beverage choice in the workplace (source: Public Health Law Center)
• Promote Healthy, non-sugar beverages
-low fat milk (contains natural sugar)
-100% fruit / veg juice (8oz serving size or less)
-no calorie options such as coffee/tea
Ensure that water is always available at no cost
Offer water as a beverage choice at all meetings
Consider ways to promote drinking water• refillable water bottle stations• attractive water pitchers• serve water with sliced lemons, oranges• posters and educational materials on the
benefits of water
Education –
Provide reinforcing messages about healthy drinks
Healthier Options
in Vending
Machines
Contact your vending company to discuss placing more healthy options in machine.
Consider adopting a policy with a minimum percentage of healthy options
Consider product placement; display healthiest vending options at eye level
Promote healthy options by using signage or identify healthy items on machine
Pricing Strategies –Vending Machines
Work with vending company to determine if pricing structure can be adjusted; have higher prices for unhealthy items and lower prices for healthy items
Healthier Options in Staff Cafeterias
Cafeteria
• Place healthy items at point of entry, point of sale AND in high traffic areas
• Consider using a nutrition labeling program
• Consider a healthy value meal
• Offer a fruit or vegetable side at no additional cost
Pricing Strategies –Employee Cafeterias
Work with cafeteria manager to determine if pricing structure can be adjusted; have higher prices for unhealthy items and lower prices for healthy items
Cake $2.00
Fruit $1.00
Mini Farmers Market at
Government Services Center, Fergus Falls
Fruit and Vegetable Vending
Government Service Center—Fergus Falls and Family Service
Center—Clay County
CSA Drop-Site at the Workplace
Consider hosting a drop-site for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) at your workplace. Employees and/or the public could purchase a weekly CSA share and have the convenience of picking it up right at the workplace.
Worksite Gardens
PioneerCare – Fergus Falls
Government Services Center-Fergus Falls
Bulletin boards in employee break rooms
Resources
Healthy Workplace Food and Beverage Toolkit
American Heart Association
• http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@fc/documents/downloadable/ucm_465693.pdf