Program Development and Effectiveness of Workplace Health Promotion Program for Preventing Metabolic Syndrome among Office Workers

• Published in: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 14; no. 8; p. 878
• Main Authors: Ryu, Hosihn, Jung, Jiyeon, Cho, Jeonghyun, Chin, Dal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 04.08.2017; MDPI
• Subjects: Adult; Adults; Blood Glucose; Blood Glucose - analysis; Cardiovascular disease; Diabetes; Disease prevention; Exercise; Female; Fitness training programs; Focus Groups; Health Behavior; Health Education; Health Promotion; Humans; Male; Metabolic Syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - prevention & control; metabolic syndrome; office workers; intervention program; effectiveness; Middle Aged; Nursing; Physical fitness; Population; Prevention programs; Program Development; Risk factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Waist Circumference; Weight control; Workplace; effectiveness; intervention program; metabolic syndrome; office workers
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14080878

This paper aims to develop and analyze the effects of a socio-ecological model-based intervention program for preventing metabolic syndrome (MetS) among office workers. The intervention program was developed using regular health examinations, a “health behavior and need” assessment survey among workers, and a focus group study. According to the type of intervention, subjects took part in three groups: health education via an intranet-based web magazine (Group 1), self-monitoring with the U-health system (Group 2), and the target population who received intensive intervention (Group 3). The intervention programs of Group 1 and Group 2, which relied on voluntary participation, did not show significant effects. In Group 3, which relied on targeted and proactive programs, showed a decrease in waist circumference and in fasting glucose (p < 0.001). The MetS score in both males (−0.61 ± 3.35 versus −2.32 ± 2.55, p = 0.001) and females (−3.99 ± 2.05 versus −5.50 ± 2.19, p = 0.028) also showed a statistically significant decrease. In light of the effectiveness of the intensive intervention strategy for metabolic syndrome prevention among workers used in this study, companies should establish targeted and proactive health care programs rather than providing a healthcare system that is dependent on an individual’s voluntary participation.