TY - JOUR

T1 - Long-term sustainability of a worksite canteen intervention of serving more fruit and vegetables

AU - Thorsen, Anne Vibeke

AU - Lassen, Anne Dahl

AU - Tetens, Inge

AU - Hels, Ole

AU - Mikkelsen, Bent E

PY - 2010

Y1 - 2010

N2 - OBJECTIVE: To analyse the 5-year sustainability of a worksite canteen intervention of serving more fruit and vegetables (F&V).DESIGN: Average F&V consumption per customer per meal per day was assessed in five worksite canteens by weighing F&V served and subtracting waste. Data were collected by the canteen staff during a 3-week continuous period and compared to data from the same five canteens measured at baseline, at end point and at 1-year follow-up. The intervention used a participatory and empowering approach, self-monitoring and networking among the canteen staff, management and a consultant. The method focused on providing ideas for increased F&V for lunch, making environmental changes in the canteens by giving access to tasteful and healthy food choices and reducing the availability of unhealthy options.SETTING: Five Danish worksites serving from 50 to 500 meals a day: a military base, an electronic component distributor, a bank, a town hall and a waste-handling facility.SUBJECTS: Worksite canteen managers, canteen staff.RESULTS: Four of the five worksite canteens were able to either maintain the intervention or even increase the consumption of F&V. The average increase from baseline to 5-year follow-up was 95 g per customer per meal per day (18, 144, 66, 105 and 141 g, respectively). On average, the five canteens at the long-term follow-up had an F&V consumption of 208 g/meal per customer.CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicates that sustainability of F&V is possible in worksites where the participatory and empowering approach, self-monitoring, environmental change, dialogue with suppliers and networking among worksite canteens are applied.

AB - OBJECTIVE: To analyse the 5-year sustainability of a worksite canteen intervention of serving more fruit and vegetables (F&V).DESIGN: Average F&V consumption per customer per meal per day was assessed in five worksite canteens by weighing F&V served and subtracting waste. Data were collected by the canteen staff during a 3-week continuous period and compared to data from the same five canteens measured at baseline, at end point and at 1-year follow-up. The intervention used a participatory and empowering approach, self-monitoring and networking among the canteen staff, management and a consultant. The method focused on providing ideas for increased F&V for lunch, making environmental changes in the canteens by giving access to tasteful and healthy food choices and reducing the availability of unhealthy options.SETTING: Five Danish worksites serving from 50 to 500 meals a day: a military base, an electronic component distributor, a bank, a town hall and a waste-handling facility.SUBJECTS: Worksite canteen managers, canteen staff.RESULTS: Four of the five worksite canteens were able to either maintain the intervention or even increase the consumption of F&V. The average increase from baseline to 5-year follow-up was 95 g per customer per meal per day (18, 144, 66, 105 and 141 g, respectively). On average, the five canteens at the long-term follow-up had an F&V consumption of 208 g/meal per customer.CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicates that sustainability of F&V is possible in worksites where the participatory and empowering approach, self-monitoring, environmental change, dialogue with suppliers and networking among worksite canteens are applied.

KW - Adult

KW - Denmark

KW - Diet

KW - Feeding Behavior

KW - Female

KW - Follow-Up Studies

KW - Food Services

KW - Food Supply

KW - Fruit

KW - Health Promotion

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Occupational Health Services

KW - Plant Preparations

KW - Time Factors

KW - Vegetables

KW - Workplace

KW - Clinical Trial

KW - Sustainability

KW - Worksite canteens

U2 - 10.1017/S1368980010001242

DO - 10.1017/S1368980010001242

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 20444314

VL - 13

SP - 1647

EP - 1652

JO - Public Health Nutrition

JF - Public Health Nutrition

SN - 1368-9800

IS - 10

ER -