Implementing an Online Weight-Management Intervention to an Employee Population: Initial Experience with Real Appeal

Impact assessment of e-trainings in occupational safety and health: a literature review

BACKGROUND

Implementing workplace preventive interventions reduces occupational accidents and injuries, as well as the negative consequences of those accidents and injuries. Online occupational safety and health training is one of the most effective preventive interventions. This study aims to present current knowledge on e-training interventions, make recommendations on the flexibility, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness of online training, and identify research gaps and obstacles.

METHOD

All studies that addressed occupational safety and health e-training interventions designed to address worker injuries, accidents, and diseases were chosen from PubMed and Scopus until 2021. Two independent reviewers conducted the screening process for titles, abstracts, and full texts, and disagreements on the inclusion or exclusion of an article were resolved by consensus and, if necessary, by a third reviewer. The included articles were analyzed and synthesized using the constant comparative analysis method.

RESULT

The search identified 7,497 articles and 7,325 unique records. Following the title, abstract, and full-text screening, 25 studies met the review criteria. Of the 25 studies, 23 were conducted in developed and two in developing countries. The interventions were carried out on either the mobile platform, the website platform, or both. The study designs and the number of outcomes of the interventions varied significantly (multi-outcomes vs. single-outcome). Obesity, hypertension, neck/shoulder pain, office ergonomics issues, sedentary behaviors, heart disease, physical inactivity, dairy farm injuries, nutrition, respiratory problems, and diabetes were all addressed in the articles.

CONCLUSION

According to the findings of this literature study, e-trainings can significantly improve occupational safety and health. E-training is adaptable, affordable, and can increase workers' knowledge and abilities, resulting in fewer workplace injuries and accidents. Furthermore, e-training platforms can assist businesses in tracking employee development and ensuring that training needs are completed. Overall, this analysis reveals that e-training has enormous promise in the field of occupational safety and health for both businesses and employees.

Increased Health Risk in Office Workers in the COVID-19 Era: Comparison of One-Year Incidence of Health Problems Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether the incidence of health problems increases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Using the health examination data (April 2018-March 2021) of Japanese workers aged 15 to 64 years, the 1-year incidence of five health problems (overweight, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, and liver damage) and four unhealthy habits (snacking, heavy drinking, physical inactivity, and sleep deprivation) were compared before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

The 1-year incidence of overweight, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and liver damage increased by 15% to 65% during the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased weight gain, related to decrease physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, was significantly associated with increased incidence of health problems.

CONCLUSIONS

The COVID-19 pandemic have deteriorated workers' health even without the COVID-19 infection. Lifestyle interventions should be promptly started particularly targeting workers with gained weight to avoid more serious consequences.

Association between weight loss, change in physical activity, and change in quality of life following a corporately sponsored, online weight loss program

Background

The physiological benefits associated with corporately sponsored weight loss programs are increasingly well documented. However, less is known about how these programs affect employees’ quality of life (QoL). The purpose of the present analysis was to examine the association between weight loss, change in physical activity, and change in QoL following a corporately sponsored, online weight loss program.

Methods

We examined the relationship between weight loss, self-reported change in physical activity, and change in several QoL indices in 26,658 participants (79% women) after the initial 10 weeks of the online weight loss program. The trend in changes in each QoL index with increasing weight loss and change in physical activity was examined using logistic regression analysis.

Results

We observed greater improvements in each QoL index with increasing weight loss (p-for-trend, < 0.001) as well as with progressive increases in physical activity (p-for-trend, < 0.001). The combination of increasing weight loss and increases in physical activity were associated with the greatest improvements in each QoL index (additive effect). The percentage of employees reporting improvements in QoL (“improved” or “very much improved”) was 64% for energy, 63% for mood, 33% for sleep, 65% for self-confidence, 68% for indigestion, and 39% for musculoskeletal pain.

Conclusions

Among people, who engage with a commercial weight loss program, greater weight loss during the program was associated with greater improvements in QoL, and increases in physical activity further enhanced the QoL-related benefits.

Examining weekly facilitated group sessions and counselor‐crafted self‐monitoring feedback on treatment outcome in digital weight control: A pilot factorial study

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Return on Investment: Medical Savings of an Employer-Sponsored Digital Intensive Lifestyle Intervention, Weight Loss

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine the medical cost impact and return on investment (ROI) of a large, commercial, digital, weight-management intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) program (Real Appeal).

METHODS

Participants in this program were compared with a control group matched by age, sex, geographic region, health risk, baseline medical costs, and chronic conditions. Medical costs were defined as the total amount paid for all medical expenses, inclusive of both the insurers' and the study participants' responsibility.

RESULTS

In the 3 years following program registration, the intent-to-treat (ITT) cohort had significantly lower medical expenditures than the matched controls, with an average of -$771 or 12% lower costs (P = 0.002). Among 4,790 ITT participants, a total savings of $3,693,090 compared with total program costs of $1,639,961 translated into a 2.3:1 ROI. Program completers (n = 3,990), who attended more sessions than the overall ITT group, had greater mean weight loss (-4.4%), greater cost savings (-$956 or 14%), and an ROI of 2.0:1 over the 3-year time frame compared with matched controls.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings demonstrated that the digital weight-management ILI was associated with a significantly positive ROI. Employers and payers willing to cover the cost of an ILI that produces both weight loss and demonstrated cost benefits can improve health and save money for their population with overweight or obesity.

A Retrospective Analysis of Employee Education Level on Weight Loss Following Participation in an Online, Corporately Sponsored, Weight Loss Program

To examine weight loss characteristics relative to education for employees participating in an online weight loss program.

Retrospective Examination of Class Attendance on Corporately Sponsored Weight Loss Programming: The Naturally Slim Experience

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effect of class participation in participants enrolled in a corporate sponsored commercial weight loss program.

METHODS

We examined 111,262 participants for percent weight loss (primary outcome) using general linear models and weight loss relative to class participation (secondary outcome).

RESULTS

We observed a significant trend (P < 0.001) for achieving significant weight loss for the entire cohort who lost 3.65% (99% CI, 3.62, 3.69) body weight. Individuals taking ≥4 classes (n = 87,346) lost 4.97% (99% CI, 4.53, 4.61). Those taking ≥9 classes (n = 74,525) achieved 4.95% (99% CI, 4.93, 5.01) weight loss. Similar patterns for men and women were observed within each analysis.

CONCLUSION

Overall, participants lost a clinically beneficial (≥3%) amount of weight following class participation and greater class attendance produced a greater weight loss percentage approaching clinical significance (≥5%).

The Efficacy of Re-Engaging in an Employer Sponsored Weight Loss Program

OBJECTIVE

To examine the clinical benefit of re-engaging in a corporate weight loss program.

METHODS

Participants (N = 9885, 72% women) from two large employers. The primary outcome was percent weight change (mean, 95% confidence interval [CI]) across two identical courses using a general linear model analysis. Secondary and tertiary outcomes included the use of financial incentives and those re-engaging in the course between 330 and 450 days, respectively.

RESULTS

We observed no significant effect for financial incentives. The entire cohort exhibited: significant weight loss after Course 1 (-4.93%, 95% CI, -5.04, -4.81), weight regain between Course 1 and Course 2, weight loss after Course 2 (-2.30%, 95% CI, -2.40, -2.23), resulting in significant net weight loss (-4.55%, 95% CI, -4.74, -4.36) that was consistent for both sexes.

CONCLUSION

There is clinically beneficial benefit (≥ 3%) to re-engaging in a corporate weight loss program when re-engagement occurs approximately 1 year later.