Does Successful Weight Loss in an Internet-Based Worksite Weight Loss Program Improve Employee Presenteeism and Absenteeism?

Certain risk factors associated with overweight and obesity may lead to reduced productivity in the workforce (i.e., increased absenteeism and presenteeism). Participants in a large, Internet-based worksite weight loss intervention, who were present at follow-up (N = 1,030), completed a self-reported productivity measure (World Health Organization's Health and Work Performance Questionnaire) at baseline and postintervention. Twenty-two percent of the participants lost a clinically meaningful amount of weight (≥5% weight loss). There were no statistically significant (p < .05) relationships between weight change from baseline to 12 months and change scores of absolute or relative absenteeism or for absolute or relative presenteeism. Within a modestly successful Internet-based, worksite weight loss intervention, weight loss did not improve self-reported absenteeism or presenteeism. Further studies are needed to explore the sensitivity of the World Health Organization's Health and Work Performance Questionnaire and the long-term effects of weight loss on productivity.

Updating, employing, and adapting: a commentary on What does it mean to "employ" the RE-AIM model.

The Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation Maintenance (RE-AIM) model was developed to improve the likelihood of translating health promotion intervention research into practice. In their evaluation of grant proposals focusing on the dissemination and implementation, Kessler and colleagues (2012) proposed a method for evaluating the degree to which RE-AIM was "fully employed" across proposals. The article includes excellent operational definitions and important additions related to the use of qualitative and cost data. However, in our review of the article, we identified a number of areas that would benefit from further consideration. Specifically, we provide additional recommendations related to the employment of the model across different trial types, the need to focus on cost across RE-AIM dimensions, and the use of qualitative data.

Who participates in internet-based worksite weight loss programs?

BACKGROUND: The reach and representativeness are seldom examined in worksite weight loss studies. This paper describes and illustrates a method for directly assessing the reach and representativeness of a internet-based worksite weight loss program. METHODS: A brief health survey (BHS) was administered, between January 2008 and November 2009, to employees at 19 worksites in Southwest Virginia. The BHS included demographic, behavioral, and health questions. All employees were blinded to the existence of a future weight loss program until the completion of the BHS. RESULTS: The BHS has a participation rate of 66 percent and the subsequent weight loss program has a participation rate of 30 percent. Employees from higher income households, with higher education levels and health literacy proficiency were significantly more likely to participate in the program (p's < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Worksite weight loss programs should include targeted marketing strategies to engage employees with lower income, education, and health literacy.