Employers Get Serious About Feeding Workers Healthier Food

More and more employers are hiring "dietary interventionists" to help ensure their workers are eating healthy, reports the Sun Sentinel . For example, GEICO launched a dietary intervention project in which it partnered with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) to demonstrate that office workers can lose weight, lower blood pressure, and reduce absenteeism if the company offers healthy low-fat vegetarian alternatives in the cafeteria. The effort targeted employees with a body mass index of 25 or higher who had Type 2 diabetes. In the initial 22-week study, participants were offered a diet that included vegetables, hummus, green salads, and black bean chili. They also received cooking demonstrations and educational sessions led by doctors and dietitians, so they could change their culinary habits at home. Participants lost an average of about 11 pounds and missed fewer hours at work. The second study had nearly 300 employees from 10 regional offices throughout the United States switch to a diet high in vegetables, fruits, fiber, legumes, and whole grains as they also attended weekly support meetings, took courses in healthy cooking, and toured the grocery store to understand how to find healthy products. Participants lost an average of 10 pounds, lowered their "bad" cholesterol by 13 points, and improved blood sugar control. They also experienced increased productivity and less anxiety, depression, and fatigue.