Changes in Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Leisure Time Physical Exercise after a Citizen Science-Based Worksite Health Promotion Program for Blue-Collar Workers

Sophie van der Feltz, Henk F. van der Molen, Lisa Lelie, Carel T. J. Hulshof, Allard J. van der Beek and Karin I. Proper ()
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Sophie van der Feltz: Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Henk F. van der Molen: Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Netherlands Center for Occupational Diseases, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Lisa Lelie: Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Carel T. J. Hulshof: Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Netherlands Center for Occupational Diseases, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Allard J. van der Beek: Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Karin I. Proper: Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 20, 1-11

Abstract: Blue-collar workers have, on average, poorer health than white-collar workers. Existing worksite health promotion programs (WHPPs) are often not successful among blue-collar workers. This study evaluates the effect of the Citizen Science-based WHPP on the targeted lifestyle behaviors among construction workers. The data of 114 participants were retrieved from questionnaires before (T0) and after (T1) the WHPP. Outcome measures were mean and categorical changes in daily fruit and vegetable intake and weekly leisure time physical exercise. Changes were tested using Wilcoxon signed rank tests and McNemar tests. No statistically significant changes were found between T0 and T1. In total, 73.7% of the participants felt involved in the WHPP. Changes in the outcome measures were not significantly different between subgroups based on age, nor in subgroups based on feelings of involvedness. The low intensity of the developed program could be an explanation for this lack of significant change. Future studies using the Citizen Science approach in an occupational setting should aim at developing a more intensified program and should test its effectiveness by comparing changes in a (randomized) controlled trial.

Keywords: blue-collar workers; construction workers; worksite health promotion program; citizen science; effect evaluation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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