Worksite Wellness Karensa Tischer, RD

Worksite Wellness Karensa 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 Success Creating 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 nocalorie choices Pricing structure developed so that healthy items are priced the same or less than unhealthy items

Quick Start Ideas Easy 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 Cake $2.00 Work with cafeteria manager to determine if pricing structure can be adjusted; have higher prices for unhealthy items and lower prices for healthy items 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/heartpublic/@wcm/@fc/documents/downloadable/ucm_465693.pdf