The effect of workplace nutrition and wellness counseling on job satisfaction and nutritional status of employees

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of workplace healthy nutrition trainings and diet intervention on employees' anthropometric measurements, nutrition habits, physical activity levels, blood pressure levels, job stress and job satisfaction. The study was conducted on 69 people (58 males, 11 females) working in a private company. A questionnaire to determine the personal characteristics of the participants, Food Frequency Questionnaire(FFQ) to determine energy and nutrient intake averages, 24-hour physical activity record form to determine physical activity levels, Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010), Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire was used to determine job satisfaction, Job Stress Scale was used to measure job stress, and a form with questions about nutritional knowledge was applied at the beginning of the study and at the end of 8 weeks. Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) was used to measure body composition at the beginning and at the end of 8 weeks. Blood pressure measurements were measured from the arm at the beginning of the study and at the end of 8 weeks. All participants were given training in groups on healthy eating at the workplace, label reading habit, and the importance of physical activity. For the employees who have BMI ≥ 25kg / m² at the beginning of the study and who want to lose weight with a nutrition program, an individual nutrition program was prepared and they were allowed to consume for 8 weeks. Only those who received nutritional education were defined as group 1 and those who implemented an individual nutrition program together with nutrition education were defined as group 2. The average age of the employees was 34.8 ± 6.42 years. The average daily working time of the employees is 9.4 ± 1.50 hours. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean values of anthropometric measurements, mean values of body composition and systolic-diastolic blood pressure at the beginning of the study and at the end of 8 weeks in both men and women in Group 1 (p>0.05). The BMI, body weight, waist circumference measurements of women in Group 2 at the beginning of the study and after 8 weeks were as follows: 69.7 ± 11.9 kg and 65.1 ± 11.6 kg, 26.2 ± 3.4 kg / m² and 24.5 ± 3.5 kg / m², 80.3 ± 10 cm and 75.6 ± 10.1 cm and the reductions in measurements were statistically significant (p <0.05). The fat mass of the women in Group 2 decreased from 23.7 ± 6.3 kg to 20.1 ± 5.3 kg, and the fat percentage decreased from 33.5 ± 3.7% to 30.5 ± 3.1% (p <0.05). The mean values of anthropometric measurements of men in Group 2 at baseline and at 8 weeks were as follows: weight 94.4 ± 19.2 kg and 89.8 ± 17.7 kg, BMI 29.7 ± 5 kg / m² and 28.3 ± 4.5 kg / m², waist circumference 98.6 ± 13.4 cm and 94.7 ± 13.3 cm (p<0.05). At 8 weeks, the fat mass of the men in Group 2 decreased from 24.2 ± 10.1 kg, to 21 ± 9.4 kg, and the fat percentage from 24.6 ± 6.3% to 22.4 ± 6.4% (p <0.05). The mean nutritional knowledge level score of the employees in Group 1 before nutrition education was 11.4 ± 2.72 and 13.8 ± 2.21 after training and 11.9 ± 2.26 before training and 14.6 ± 1.67 after training and the changes in both groups were statistically significant (p <0.05). The change in the mean score of the HEI in group 1 was 10.1 (95% CI 5.52214.66) and 24.9 (95% CI 19.84-29.97) units in group 2, and the changes were statistically significant (p <0.05). The increase in the mean HEI score in Group 2 was significantly higher than in Group 1 (p<0.05). Changes in job stress and job satisfaction were not statistically significant in both groups (p> 0.05). At the end of 8 weeks the decrease of daily energy, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, glucose, sucrose consumption averages of women and men in Group 2 were statistically significant (p <0.05). As a result, the application of individual diet programs together with group nutrition training resulted in a greater decrease in weight, BMI, waist circumference, fat mass, fat percentage, and increased nutritional knowledge level and healthy eating index scores of employees.