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Effectiveness of Workplace Weight Management Interventions: a Systematic Review

  • Obesity Treatment (CM Apovian, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

A systematic review was conducted of randomized trials of workplace weight management interventions, including trials with dietary, physical activity, environmental, behavioral, and incentive-based components. Main outcomes were defined as change in weight-related measures. Keywords related to weight management and workplace interventions were used to search relevant databases, and 23 eligible studies were reviewed in detail using a data extraction form and quality assessment checklist. The trials were conducted mainly in the USA and Europe, with four additional countries represented. Interventions were mostly multicomponent and were implemented in both sexes and in a range of employment categories. Intervention effectiveness appeared unrelated to region of the world and was highest in 6–12-month trials. The results ranged widely from clinically significant 8.8-kg weight loss in one trial to less effective than the control treatment in others. Some workplace interventions achieve clinically significant benefits, and further studies are needed to replicate those results in wider sociocultural and geographical contexts.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Obesity and Energetics Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston, MA, 02111, USA

    Yasoma Kumari Weerasekara, Susan B. Roberts, Mira A. Kahn & Sai Krupa Das

  2. Hirsh Health Sciences Library, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA

    Amy E. LaVertu

  3. General Electric Medical Services, GE, Chicago, IL, USA

    Ben Hoffman

  4. University of Texas School of Public Health, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Ben Hoffman

Authors
  1. Yasoma Kumari Weerasekara
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  2. Susan B. Roberts
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  3. Mira A. Kahn
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  4. Amy E. LaVertu
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  5. Ben Hoffman
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  6. Sai Krupa Das
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sai Krupa Das.

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Conflict of Interest

Yasoma Kumari Weerasekara declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Susan B. Roberts is the co-founder of iDiet, a start-up for weight loss programs, including in worksites.

Mira A. Kahn declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Amy E. LaVertu declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Ben Hoffman declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Sai Krupa Das declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Obesity Treatment

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Weerasekara, Y.K., Roberts, S.B., Kahn, M.A. et al. Effectiveness of Workplace Weight Management Interventions: a Systematic Review. Curr Obes Rep 5, 298–306 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-016-0205-z

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