Creation of University Wellness Program Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyle Supports: A Knowledge-to-Action Process.

With the burdens that preventable health conditions place on individuals, workplaces, and society, workplace wellness programs (WWP) are critical to ensuring employees have access to health promotion supports tailored to their work environments. Such programs are best guided by a knowledge-to-action (KTA) framework; a theoretically grounded, systematic process that considers the ongoing exchange of knowledge with employees to engage them in health behaviour change and to garner employers' support for the interventions. Therefore the purpose of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate WWP healthy eating and active lifestyle supports at a university. A KTA process guided the consultations with employees and stakeholders that led to the development and implementation of a range of resource effective supports and the incorporation of wellness in the organization culture. A key support was the Wellness Passport that encouraged participation in scheduled WWP activities, as well as allowing for self-identified ones. Quality assurance assessments demonstrated a desire for a continuation of these WWP supports and activities. Dietitians, as health promotion leaders, can play key roles in the emerging field of WWPs. University dietetic and internship programs should consider adding WWP and KTA training components.

Identification of Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyle Issues through Photo Elicitation.

PURPOSE: Effective workplace wellness programs, featuring supports for healthy eating and active lifestyle behaviours, have been found to reduce health risks and the associated economic burdens for individuals, organizations, and their communities. As part of a larger study, the purpose of this research was to engage volunteer participants from a university community to identify healthy eating and active lifestyle barriers and supports. METHODS: An ethics-approved, action-research design with photo elicitation technique was used to engage employees and students. Data were analyzed using qualitative analysis software. RESULTS: Participants identified barriers and both current and future supports for healthy eating and active lifestyle on campus. These were coded under the sub-themes of food environment, food and nutrition quality, physical environment, physical activity, fitness centre, and awareness/communication. CONCLUSION: Photo elicitation was determined to be an effective technique to engage participants. Despite many supports, members of the university community still found it difficult to follow healthy eating and active lifestyle behaviours; however, a number of practical future supports were identified. This study also provided valuable insight into the role that dietitians can play in the development of successful wellness programs.

A study of the correlation between STEM career knowledge, mathematics self-efficacy, career interests, and career activities on the likelihood of pursuing a STEM career among middle school students.

BACKGROUND: A sample of 1448 students in grades 7 and 9 was drawn from public schools in Atlantic Canada to explore students' knowledge of science and mathematics requirements for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. Also explored were their mathematics self-efficacy (MSE), their future career interests, their preferences for particular career activities, and their likelihood to pursue a STEM career. RESULTS: Analysis revealed that while older students had more knowledge about mathematics/science requirements for STEM careers, this knowledge was lacking overall. Also, students with higher MSE were more knowledgeable about STEM career requirements. Furthermore, students with higher MSE and STEM career knowledge were more likely to choose a STEM career. Students with greater interest in technical and scientific skills were also more likely to consider a STEM career than those who preferred career activities that involved practical, productive, and concrete activities. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that students in middle school have a limited STEM career knowledge with respect to subject requirements and with respect to what sort of activities these careers involve. Furthermore, students with low MSE have a declining interest in STEM careers. Our data thus support the need to improve access to knowledge to facilitate students' understanding of STEM careers and the nature of STEM work. Exposure of students to STEM careers can enhance their interest in pursuing careers involving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.