Successful strategies to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables: results from the Danish ‘6 a day’ Work-site Canteen Model Study

Objective: To evaluate the impact of an educational and environmental intervention on the availability and consumption of fruits and vegetables in workplace cafeterias. Design: This was a randomized intervention study involving a sample of companies that were divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention, which focused on change in the work environment, was based on an ecological model for health promotion. It involved several different aspects including menu planning, food presentation and motivational strategies to encourage the consumption of fruits and vegetables. The impact of the intervention was measured by changes (between baseline and follow-up) in the availability of fruits and vegetables that were eaten per consumer in meals and the consumption of fruits and vegetables in the workplace by workers. We also evaluated the availability of energy, macronutrients and fibre. Settings: Companies of São Paulo, Brazil. Subjects: Twenty-nine companies and 2510 workers. Results: After the intervention we found an average increase in the availability of fruits and vegetables of 49 g in the intervention group, an increase of approximately 15 %, whereas the results for the control group remained practically equal to baseline levels. During the follow-up period, the intervention group also showed reduced total fat and an increase in fibre in the meals offered. The results showed a slight but still positive increase in the workers' consumption of fruits and vegetables (about 11 g) in the meals offered by the companies. Conclusions: Interventions focused on the work environment can be effective in promoting the consumption of healthy foods.

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“…The study also showed that the effects of the intervention persisted for 4 months after the intervention end-point (15) .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

“…Other studies also observed that the inclusion of vegetables is easier with warm preparations such as a side dish (15,27) . Emphasizing that as a strategy of intervention, in the present study the culinary workshop's special focus was given to the preparation and presentation of vegetables on the menus offered.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Impact of an intervention on the availability and consumption of fruits and vegetables in the workplace

Bandoni

Sarno

Jaime

2010

Public Health Nutr.

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“…*Number of days of monitoring at each canteen. in the canteens by giving access to tasteful and healthy food choices and reducing the availability of unhealthy options (16) . We believe that some of the key elements for sustaining this tailored intervention were management involvement, empowering the canteen staff, getting everyone in the canteen involved in a proactive way and providing networking opportunities between canteen managers.…”

Section: Baseline Intakementioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term sustainability of a worksite canteen intervention of serving more fruit and vegetables

Thorsen

Lassen

Tetens

et al. 2010

Public Health Nutr.

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Objective: To analyse the 5-year sustainability of a worksite canteen intervention of serving more fruit and vegetables (F&V). Design: Average F&V consumption per customer per meal per day was assessed in five worksite canteens by weighing F&V served and subtracting waste. Data were collected by the canteen staff during a 3-week continuous period and compared to data from the same five canteens measured at baseline, at end point and at 1-year follow-up. The intervention used a participatory and empowering approach, self-monitoring and networking among the canteen staff, management and a consultant. The method focused on providing ideas for increased F&V for lunch, making environmental changes in the canteens by giving access to tasteful and healthy food choices and reducing the availability of unhealthy options. Setting: Five Danish worksites serving from 50 to 500 meals a day: a military base, an electronic component distributor, a bank, a town hall and a waste-handling facility. Subjects: Worksite canteen managers, canteen staff. Results: Four of the five worksite canteens were able to either maintain the intervention or even increase the consumption of F&V. The average increase from baseline to 5-year follow-up was 95 g per customer per meal per day (18, 144, 66, 105 and 141 g, respectively). On average, the five canteens at the long-term follow-up had an F&V consumption of 208 g/meal per customer. Conclusions: The present study indicates that sustainability of F&V is possible in worksites where the participatory and empowering approach, self-monitoring, environmental change, dialogue with suppliers and networking among worksite canteens are applied.

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“…Even though the worksite canteens seem to be a promising setting for promoting healthy eating (26,(34)(35)(36) , there is limited knowledge on how healthy eating can be promoted most effectively at the workplace. Taking into account that previous studies (23,32,33,37) have found that meals consumed outside the home can make a significant contribution to the fat content of the diet, it is important that the daily meals at the worksite canteen comply with minimum nutritional recommendations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Workforce gender, company size and corporate financial support are predictors of availability of healthy meals in Danish worksite canteens

Thorsen¹,

Lassen²,

Andersen

et al. 2009

Public Health Nutr.

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Objective: Environmental strategies at worksites may help consumers change dietary behaviour towards a more healthy diet. The present study aimed to evaluate the availability of healthy meal options at Danish worksite canteens and to identify predictors of worksite canteens providing healthy meals. Design: A self-administered questionnaire was randomly mailed to 1967 worksite canteen managers. Besides information and characteristics about the canteen and the worksite, the canteen managers specified the menus available. Two different health groups (Healthy and Less Healthy) were defined in three different meal categories (Sandwiches, Hot meals and Salads) as well as a combined category (Combined) combining all the three meal categories. The characteristics of the worksites were compared with regard to the different health groups. Setting: Randomly selected Danish worksite canteens. Subjects: 553 Danish worksite canteen managers replied, resulting in a response rate of 29 %. Results: Only 12 % of the canteens applied to the Healthy group combining all the three meal categories. In particular, worksites with more than 75 % female employees served healthy menus on a frequent basis. The size of the worksite was positively correlated with more healthy meal options. Furthermore, the present study suggests a positive relationship between corporate financial support and the availability of healthy meal options. Conclusions: Among the selected variables studied, workforce gender, company size and corporate financial support were significant predictors of the availability of healthy meal options in worksite canteens. More research is needed on the role that variance in organisation environment plays for the potential of worksite intervention, to make a difference in terms of healthy eating.

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Successful strategies to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables: results from the Danish ‘6 a day’ Work-site Canteen Model Study

Cited by 64 publications

References 27 publications

Impact of an intervention on the availability and consumption of fruits and vegetables in the workplace

Impact of an intervention on the availability and consumption of fruits and vegetables in the workplace

Long-term sustainability of a worksite canteen intervention of serving more fruit and vegetables

Workforce gender, company size and corporate financial support are predictors of availability of healthy meals in Danish worksite canteens

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