Impact of an intervention on the availability and consumption of fruits and vegetables in the workplace

Objective: To evaluate the impact of an educational and environmental intervention on the availability and consumption of fruits and vegetables in workplace cafeterias. Design: This was a randomized intervention study involving a sample of companies that were divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention, which focused on change in the work environment, was based on an ecological model for health promotion. It involved several different aspects including menu planning, food presentation and motivational strategies to encourage the consumption of fruits and vegetables. The impact of the intervention was measured by changes (between baseline and follow-up) in the availability of fruits and vegetables that were eaten per consumer in meals and the consumption of fruits and vegetables in the workplace by workers. We also evaluated the availability of energy, macronutrients and fibre. Settings: Companies of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Subjects: Twenty-nine companies and 2510 workers. Results: After the intervention we found an average increase in the availability of fruits and vegetables of 49 g in the intervention group, an increase of approximately 15 %, whereas the results for the control group remained practically equal to baseline levels. During the follow-up period, the intervention group also showed reduced total fat and an increase in fibre in the meals offered. The results showed a slight but still positive increase in the workers` consumption of fruits and vegetables (about 11 g) in the meals offered by the companies. Conclusions: Interventions focused on the work environment can be effective in promoting the consumption of healthy foods.

Nutritional intervention programme among a Japanese-Brazilian community: procedures and results according to gender

Objective: To describe the results of a nutritional intervention programme among Japanese-Brazilians according to gender. Design: A non-controlled experimental study. Setting: The research included three points of clinical, nutritional and physical activity evaluation: at baseline (in 2005), after the first year and at the end of the second year (in 2007). The paired Student t test and multiple linear regression analysis were used to evaluate changes in the subjects` profile (clinical, nutritional and physical activity variables). Subjects: Japanese-Brazilians (n 575) of both genders, aged over 30 years. Results: We verified statistically significant reductions in body weight (0.9 kg), waist circumference (2.9 cm), blood pressure, fasting blood glucose (>3 mg/dl) and total cholesterol (>20 mg/dl) and its fractions, in both genders. We also found reductions in intake of energy (among men), protein (among women) and fat (both genders) and increases in intake of total fibre (among women) and carbohydrate (among men). Conclusions: The intervention programme indicated meaningful benefits for the intervention subjects, with changes in their habits that led to a `healthier` lifestyle positively impacting their nutritional and metabolic profile.