Happy Holidays and a Nutritious New Year
December 28, 2007
Overview
With 2008 quickly approaching, many are contemplating their resolutions for the New Year. Inevitably, countless will resolve to change their dietary habits in order to maintain a healthier lifestyle. Unfortunately, many will soon lose motivation even before the onset of spring. The good news is there are simple and easy ways that employers can help motivate employees to stay on task with their New Year's resolution to eat healthier and thus, make lifestyle changes that will last a lifetime.
Eating a Nutritious Diet
Good nutrition can help lower risk for many chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, some cancers and osteoporosis. Eating a nutritious diet could lower cancer deaths in the United States by as much as 35 percent.1 However, there is still a significant gap between recommended diet and actual behavior. In 2005, only about 25% of Americans consumed the recommended 5 or more fruit and vegetable servings each day.2 In order to maintain a nutritious diet, follow the tips below.
- A healthy and nutritious diet includes daily consumption of the most nutritionally rich foods from each of the food groups. Look for foods packed with vitamins, minerals, potassium, calcium, fiber, etc. from each of the food groups.3
- An abundance of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, low fat milk or milk products, lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts are an important part of a healthy and nutritious diet.3 These foods deliver a myriad of nutrients that are essential for a healthy body.
- Diets lacking in nutritionally rich food may lead to adverse health effects.
- Reduce daily intake of saturated fat, transfat, cholesterol, salt, and added sugar.3 High consumption of these may lead to adverse health effects.
For more information about the different food groups and their health benefits visit: www.mypyramid.gov. For information about the 2005 Dietary Guidelines visit: http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/.
The Business Case for Healthy Eating
According to a study done by the National Sleep Foundation, the average workweek in the United States is 47 hours.4 This means that one or two meals are consumed in the workplace. Thus, employers have the power to promote healthy eating by offering healthy choices in workplace-dining facilities and stocking the vending machines with nutritious choices.
Research shows that poor nutrition is associated with an increased risk for chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and many types of cancer.5 Chronic disease accounts for more than 75% of the $1.4 trillion spent on medical care in the U.S.6
What Employers Can Do
- Ensure that primary care physicians test patients' blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and discuss family medical history.
- Evaluate current dining, catering and vending offerings using the assessment tools provided in the Promoting Healthy Weight Through Healthy Dining at Work Toolkit.
- Make sure that workplace-dining facilities offer healthy, well-balanced meals. If subsidies are provided, employers should be careful to only subsidize healthful food offerings (vs. an across-the-board cafeteria subsidy).
- Choose food items that are low in fat and calories when catering workplace meetings and events.
- Make sure that workplace vending machines are free of unhealthy snacks such as chips, baked goods and candy. Instead, fill vending machines with smarter choices such as whole grain crackers, fruit cups, nuts and seeds. Also, replace high calorie soft drinks and juices with diet alternatives and 100% fruit or vegetable juice.
- Promote healthy lifestyles by offering an incentive for using a health club, participating in an exercise or weight management program, or the purchase and use of a piece of home exercise equipment.
- Support employee physical activity through on-site fitness facilities.
- Provide employees with free educational materials on nutrition by offering brochures on healthy eating and tips about talking to their doctor about maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle.
For more information on choosing healthy foods for workplace meetings visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To find out more about dietary guidelines and the food groups in the food pyramid visit MyPyramid.gov.
Citations
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Nutrition. Available at: http://www.healthierus.gov/nutrition.html. Accessed December 7, 2007.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical activity and good nutrition: essential elements to prevent chronic diseases and obesity. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/publications/aag/dnpa.htm. Accessed December 12, 2007.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Finding Your Way to a Healthier You: Based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Available at: http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/brochure.htm#b6. Accessed December 11, 2007.
- National Business Group on Health. Promoting Healthy Weight through Healthy Dining at Work. Available at: http://www.businessgrouphealth.org/members/secureDocument.cfm?docID=525. Accessed December 12, 2007.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical Activity and Good Nutrition Essential Elements to Prevent Chronic Diseases and Obesity 2007. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/publications/aag/pdf/dnpa.pdf. Accessed December 7, 2007.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic Disease Overview. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/overview.htm. Accessed December 11, 2007.
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