RESUMO
Objective: The study intends to examine the effect of participating healthy eating related games or activities in workplace on changes of employee's self-reported behavioral stage for adopting healthy eating. Study design: A quasi-experimental study. Methods: A multi-strategic intervention for 8-month was designed and implemented in a main staff canteen area within a non-profit academic organization. The initial event included exhibition of custom-made dining plates filled with correct portions of food models for three caloric levels and provision of user-friendly online resources, which were followed by three promotion activities (long-term exhibition of my balanced plates, matching games for six food groups, and do-it-yourself healthy plate) in the 8 months. Results: A total of 86 adult participants (males = 37, female = 49) who had completed pre- and post-surveys were included in the analysis. Participants who participated all three promotion activities presented greater advancement in stage of healthy eating behaviors (HEB) than those who did not participate any activity (ß= 1.118, 95% CI = 0.428-1.808, P = 0.001 among male participants; ß = 0.740, 95% CI = 0.145-1.336, P = 0.015 among all participants). Adjustment has been made for significantly-associated covariates including types of promotion activities, initial-HEB and gender. Conclusions: A multi-strategic intervention providing balanced food plates and online resources followed by consecutive promotion activities are effective in advancing HEB for the workplace adults. Differential impacts of promotion activities and gender should also be considered for designing workplace interventions.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated customer attitudes, perceptions, and utilisation of a traffic-light food labelling (TFL) programme before and after the TFL was implemented in a worksite canteen in Taiwan. STUDY DESIGN: A one-arm intervention was implemented in the canteen and buffet of a research park in Taiwan. Phase 1 consisted of dissemination of information regarding the TFL, targeting the customers (June-July, 2014); phase 2 consisted of implementation of the TFL in the buffet starting in August 2014. The TFL included red, yellow and green labels, indicating 'unhealthy/stop', 'moderately unhealthy/wait' and 'healthy/go', respectively. METHODS: The evaluation was based on two independent anonymous surveys in July 2014 (in phase 1) and April 2015 (in phase 2). Customers were invited to take a survey regarding the TFL programme, the food environment in the canteen, and their lunch choices. Logistic regression models examined the changes in customers' attention and attitudes towards the labelling and their food choices between the two surveys. RESULTS: The customers reported positive attitudes towards the TFL. The proportion of customers who reported choosing foods based on the recommendations increased from 38% to 50% (P < 0.01). The proportion of the buffet customers who chose green-light entrées and red-light entrées changed from 13% and 63% to 36% and 21%, respectively (P < 0.001). The availability of green-light entrées in the buffet increased as well. CONCLUSIONS: This first report of a TFL intervention in an Asian worksite suggests that TFL is acceptable and well understood by this population and may assist customers in choosing healthier items when healthier choices are available.
