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

& Project

Overview

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

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

Implementation

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

SnackShot Photo Submissions

Breakroom Materials◼ “Swap Your Snack” table tents

◼ Signs corresponding to each weekly theme

◼ “No Dumping Zone” table tents◼ Encourage healthier food options

Evaluation and Results

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

Conclusion & Recommendations

Recommendations◼ Target more non-traditional worksites

◼ Pilot test materials

◼ Formalize needs assessment

◼ Incentivize evaluation survey

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Sarah Morales and Dr. Auld for their support and guidance on the

Eat Well @ Work campaign