A Healthy Break Room Campaign for Larimer County
Devon Amber, Emily Anderson, Katie Cicerchi, Caroline Kilpatrick and Daisuke Yoshida
Background
◼ The Larimer County Body and Mind Wellness Program (BAM) provides health and wellness resources for over 1600 employees
◼ Health Screenings◼ Employee fitness discounts◼ Weight management resources◼ Health campaigns
◼ Larimer County employees can earn wellness points tied to a yearly wellness incentive
◼ Employees may earn up to 20 wellness points annually by participating in campaign challenges
Problem Description
◼ High prevalence of unhealthy foods in Larimer County workplaces
◼ Doughnuts, cookies, cakes, candy bowls
◼ Tasked with creating a workplace campaign to increase the presence of healthy foods in break rooms and offices
◼ Guilt free campaign◼ Coincide with National Nutrition Month (March)
Project Overview
◼ Create campaign to complement the BAM Wellness Incentive Tools
◼ Perform informal needs assessment to identify barriers and challenges to healthy eating at work
◼ Develop strategies and educational materials to establish healthy break rooms and a supportive food environment with healthy options
◼ Evaluate the campaign
Needs Assessment◼ February 17th: Invited to meeting with BAM
Representatives◼ What makes healthy eating at work difficult?
◼ Prevalence of candy bowls◼ Lack of planning◼ Birthday parties and staff celebrations◼ Vending machines◼ Girl Scout cookies◼ Lack of access to healthy food
◼ What makes healthy eating at work easy?◼ Highly visible healthy options◼ Planning◼ Convenience◼ Challenges/pledges◼ Availability of healthy options◼ Ability to compare nutritional information◼ Cues/reminders◼ Support from coworkers
Needs Assessment◼ Where at work do employees intersect with food?
◼ Meetings◼ Break room◼ Desks◼ Celebrations◼ Discussions over email
◼ Task: A campaign addressing both barriers and opportunities to healthy eating where employees commonly encounter food at work
Methods◼ Created Eat Well @ Work campaign theme
and logo
◼ Four weekly newsletters and wrap-up newsletter
◼ BINGO Challenge
◼ SnackShot Challenge
◼ Breakroom Materials
Newsletters
◼ Week 1: “Food, The Workplace, and You”
◼ Introduction to campaign
◼ Week 2: “Go Green”◼ Disseminated during week of St. Patrick’s
Day◼ Focus on consumption of green vegetables
and fruits
◼ Week 3: “Balance Your Energy”◼ Suggestions to overcome mid-afternoon
slump
◼ Week 4: “ReThink Your Drink”◼ Emphasize importance of drinking water
and cutting down on sugar-sweetened beverages
Newsletters◼ Introduction◼ Burn Your Calories◼ Healthy Get Together
◼ Healthy Happy Birthday◼ Healthy Potluck◼ Healthier Happy Hour
◼ Meal Planning 101◼ Pick a Healthier Restaurant Menu
Item◼ Recipe of the Week◼ Snack Pack◼ Swap Your Snack
BINGO Challenge
◼ Employees could earn Wellness Points by completing the two or more BINGOs
◼ Included pledge
SnackShot Challenge
◼ Employees earned a BINGO square for sending in a photo of their work environment
◼ What makes it challenging or easier to eat healthfully at work
◼ Photos featured in weekly newsletters
Breakroom Materials◼ “Swap Your Snack” table tents
◼ Signs corresponding to each weekly theme
◼ “No Dumping Zone” table tents◼ Encourage healthier food options
Evaluation◼ Process Evaluation
◼ 4 newsletter, added wrap-up newsletter, BINGO cards, table tents
◼ Weekly submission and publication of newsletters
◼ Weekly meetings
◼ Summative Evaluation
◼ Survey Monkey
◼ Only 6 responses - not representative or generalizable
◼ Number of SnackShot and BINGO submissions
◼ Qualitative and Anecdotal
◼ BAM meeting
Results and Discussion◼ Approximately 100 SnackShot submissions
◼ 100 BINGO card submissions
◼ Positive feedback
◼ Called for more of what was offered or no change
◼ Observed increase in healthy options, water consumption, food brought from home
◼ Participants plan to continue changes
◼ Increased awareness and presence of healthy food options
◼ High visibility, engagement, and fun
◼ Possible impact beyond measurable outcomes
Recommendations◼ Target more non-traditional worksites
◼ Pilot test materials
◼ Formalize needs assessment
◼ Incentivize evaluation survey
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