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

Abstract

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.

Improving the diet of employees at blue-collar worksites: results from the ‘Food at Work’ intervention study

“…The nutritional profile of the meals seemed to be dependent largely on food choice. Thorsen et al (32) found that only one out of eight of the canteens participating in a self-administered questionnaire survey fulfilled the combined defined health criteria for open sandwiches, hot meals and salad meal options. This emphasizes the importance of developing strategies to improve the nutritional content in all meal types, making the healthier choices both more appealing and accessible for customers with different food choice preferences.…”

Attitudes and Consumer Behavior toward Foods Offered in Staff Canteens

“…Jang et al [ 35 ] observed an important segment of consumers and called them “health-conscious consumers”. There are very few publications [ 4 , 8 , 16 , 32 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 ] referring to staff canteens, especially canteens located in office buildings.…”

Characteristics of Canteens at Elementary Schools, Upper Secondary Schools and Workplaces that Comply with Food Service Guidelines and Have a Greater Focus on Food Waste

“…Results from the present study on compliance with fruit and vegetable content in hot meals among workplaces are comparable with the study by Thorsen et al with regard to the evaluation of the nutritional quality of hot meals offered at 553 workplace canteens. A total of 58% of the canteens reported to serve hot meals according to the Danish “Plate model” illustrating a recommended meal composition with 40% fruit and vegetables [51]. In addition, the ‘6-a-day’ campaign, since the year 2000, regarding increasing the fruit and vegetable consumption in Denmark, targeted workplace canteens [60].…”

“…In addition, the ‘6-a-day’ campaign, since the year 2000, regarding increasing the fruit and vegetable consumption in Denmark, targeted workplace canteens [60]. Thorsen et al also suggested a positive relationship between corporate financial support and the availability of healthy meal options [51]. Many workplaces may be willing to support in-house canteens in order to promote workers’ good health and to enhance employees’ productivity and the corporate image [48].…”

“…The questionnaires were developed through different phases in an iterative process, each phase and version gradually informing the next through repeated adjustments performed by the research group. Questions were initially developed based on a literature review and knowledge on content of Danish canteen meals [47,48,49,50,51]. Feedback on the initial questionnaire was acquired from nine food and nutrition professionals, i.e., representatives from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, food service representatives, food service nutritional consultants and nutritional researchers, including researchers in dietary assessment methods.…”