Feasibility and effectiveness of a worksite-weight-loss program for cancer prevention among school-district employees with overweight and obesity

Authors: LEE, CHE - Md Anderson Cancer Center; ROBERTSON, MICHAEL - University Of Texas Medical Branch; JOHNSTON, HANNAH - Md Anderson Cancer Center; LE, THUAN - Md Anderson Cancer Center; RABER, MARGARET - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); RECHIS, RUTH - Md Anderson Cancer Center; OESTMAN, KATHERINE - Md Anderson Cancer Center; NEFF, ALISE - Non ARS Employee; MACNEISH, AMBER - Non ARS Employee; BASEN-ENGQUIST, KAREN - Md Anderson Cancer Center

Submitted to: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/26/2022
Publication Date: 12/29/2022
Citation: Lee, C.Y., Robertson, M.C., Johnston, H., Le, T., Raber, M., Rechis, R., Oestman, K., Neff, A., Macneish, A., Basen-Engquist, K.M. 2022. Feasibility and effectiveness of a worksite-weight-loss program for cancer prevention among school-district employees with overweight and obesity. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 20(1). Article 538. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010538.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010538

Interpretive Summary: Sedentary behavior (not moving enough) and excess body fat increase the risk of several cancers. School teachers in the US have low levels of physical activity and may benefit from tailored interventions to support healthy weight and exercise. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Vibrant Lives (VL), a digital worksite-weight-loss program promoting weight loss, physical activity, and healthy eating among school-district employees with overweight or obesity. Participants were grouped into three different groups: the VL Basic (VLB) participants received materials and tailored text messages; the VL Plus (VLP) participants additionally received digital activity monitors and scales and participated in health challenges throughout the school year; and the VL Plus with Support (VLP+S) participants received additional coaching. All VL groups lost weight and increased weekly physical activity. Those in the VLP+S group were more likely to lose at least 3% of their body weight. VLP offers a promising, scalable, approach to facilitating health behaviors and weight loss among school-district employees.

Technical Abstract: The effects of Vibrant Lives (VL), a 6-month worksite-weight-loss program, were examined in a cohort of school-district employees with overweight or obesity. The VL Basic (VLB) participants received materials and tailored text messages, the VL Plus (VLP) participants additionally received WIFI-enabled activity monitors and scales and participated in health challenges throughout the school year, and the VL Plus with Support (VLP+S) participants additionally received coaching support. The levels of program satisfaction and retention and changes in weight, physical activity (PA), and diet were compared across groups using Pearson chi-square tests, repeated-measure mixed models, and logistic regression. After the program, the VLB (n=131), VLP (n=87), and VLP+S (n=88) groups had average weight losses of 2.5, 2.5, and 3.4 kg, respectively, and average increases in weekly PA of 40.4, 35.8, and 65.7 min, respectively. The VLP + S participants were more likely than the other participants to have clinically significant weight loss (>=3%; p=0.026). Compared with the VLB participants, the VLP participants were less likely to meet the recommendations for consuming fast food (p=0.022) and sugar-sweetened beverages (p=0.010). The VLP and VLP+S participants reported higher program satisfaction than the VLB participants. The VL program facilitates weight loss among school-district employees with overweight and obesity by increasing their PA and healthy diet.