Building Healthier Communities in the Workplace: The Impact of a Year-Long Lifestyle Intervention on Food Access, Quality of Life, and Health Metrics.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The present study assessed the impact of a year-long community-engaged lifestyle intervention to improve healthy food access, anthropometric measures, and quality of life among factory workers.

METHODS

A total of 80 workers aged 20-65 participated in this quasi-experimental pre-post intervention with nine dietitian-led sessions, weekly physical activity classes, and adjustments to the factory food menu. Volunteer health leaders from the workforce played a pivotal role as project stakeholders, promoting the initiative, liaising with the food supplier, advocating for physical activity hours with management, and supporting activity dissemination. Data were collected at baseline, four months, and one year, including weight, waist circumference, dietary intake, physical activity, and quality of life (SF-36 questionnaire).

RESULTS

Waist circumference significantly decreased after 4 and 12 months. Regression models showed that each additional year of age correlated with a 0.72 cm reduction, while over 150 min of weekly physical activity was associated with a 6.58 cm decrease. The mental health component of the quality of life scores improved from 73.1 ± 18.5 to 78.7 ± 17.6 ( = 0.017), alongside reductions in sugar and sodium intake. The intervention cost ILS 4875 (EUR 1314 or USD 1369) per employee annually.

CONCLUSIONS

This community-engaged, dietitian-led intervention significantly improved factory workers' health and well-being, providing a cost-effective solution.