Emerging Trends Project:

Hospital staff acceptability of

cooking demonstrations and
nutrition education
Aramark Distance Dietetic Internship
Eman Kemp
Kristen Molnar
Ashley Roberts

Abstract
Americas obesity rates are on the rise and an absence of nutrition education may be a contributing cause. Studies suggest that by
providing cooking demonstrations and promoting worksite wellness, employees are likely to make healthier choices. A research study
was conducted to evaluate the acceptability of cooking demonstrations and nutrition education among hospital staff. This study was
implemented by three dietetic interns at different hospital sites: University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus in Baltimore,
Maryland, Inspira Medical Center in Woodbury, New Jersey, and Maple Grove Hospital in Maple Grove, Minnesota. A recipe was
highlighted during two-hour demonstration, and hospital employees were encouraged to participate in a lesson followed by a survey.
Teaching points of the demonstration included cooking with meatless protein, adding fiber and decreasing sodium intake. Results
showed that 77% of participants (n = 70) learned new nutrition information, indicating high acceptability of the overall lesson. There was
poor acceptability (<50% of participants) regarding making healthy changes moving forward; however, 52.9% said they were likely to
make the recipe at home. Results showed that 61.4% of the participants had received nutrition education in the past, but were
interested in learning more through cooking demonstrations and lessons. Limitations and suggestions for future studies are discussed.

Introduction

Introduction
Obesity
78.6 million adults
12.7 million children and adolescents
Employers spend an estimated $75 million annually on
obesity-related health care

Improved health could decreased health costs and increase

productivity

Worksite Wellness Programs:

Overview
Article Title

Effects of worksite health promotion interventions on employee diets: a

systematic review.

Author and Year

Ni Mhurchu C, Aston LM, Jebb SA. 2010

Sample/Duration

16 studies; 1995-2009

Methods

8 Studies Employee Education; 8 Studies Worksite Environment

Studies had to report 1 diet related outcome

Results

Interventions led to positive changes in total fruit, vegetable and total fat
intake
No studies looked at absenteeism, productivity, or health care costs

Conclusion

Worksite health promotion programs can moderately improve dietary intake

Further studies needed to assess effectiveness
Future programs should aim to intervene on multiple levels of the worksite
environment

Voluntary Worksite Nutrition and

Physical Activity

Article Title

Participation and cardiovascular risk reduction in a voluntary worksite nutrition and

physical activity program

Author and Year

Thorndike A, Healey E, Sonnenberg L, Regan S. 2011

Sample/Duration

774 employees; 10 weeks

Methods

Nutrition and physical activity

Changes in weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure were compared between
obese, overweight, and normal weight participants

Results

Program completion was 82%

Obese participants lost 3% body weight
Mean cholesterol and blood pressure were lower at the end of program and 1 year
later

Conclusion

Worksite wellness programs can successfully initiate cardiovascular risk reduction

More intensive interventions are needed to make significant improvements

Weight Gain Prevention: Nutrition

and Exercise
Article Title

Prevention of weight gain following a worksite nutrition and exercise

program

Author and Year

Thorndike A, Sonnenberg L, Healey E, Myint-U K, Kvedar J, Regan S. 2012

Sample/Duration

330 employees; 10 week nutrition and exercise program

Methods

9 month Internet support following nutrition and exercise program

Results

72% filled out 1 year follow up assessment

All subjects had improved physical activity and nutrition after 1 year

Conclusion

Moderate weight loss and improvements in diet and exercise after one year
among employees

Web-Based Programs: Diet, Stress,

Physical Activity
Article Title

A field test of web-based workplace health promotion program to improve

dietary practices, reduce stress, and increase physical activity: a randomized
controlled trial

Author and Year

Cook RF, Billings DW, Hersch RK, Back AS, Hendrickson A. 2007

Sample/Duration

419 employees; 3 months

Methods

Comparing web-based vs print-based health programs

Results

Retention rates: 85% (Web) and 87% (Print)

Web-based program more effective for improvements in diet and nutrition
Not effective for reducing stress or increasing physical activity

Conclusion

Web-based programs could be promising in the area of diet and nutrition

Nutrition Education and Consumption

Article Title

The Effect of nutrition education on knowledge, attitude, and performance

about junk food consumption among students of female primary schools

Author and Year

Vardanjani AE, Reisi M, Javadzade H, Pour ZG, Tavassoli E; 2015

Sample/Duration

72 female students

Methods

Experimental and control groups given 3 surveys: before, during, after

Intervention: 4 classes for experimental group

Results

Prior to intervention, no knowledge differences between two groups

Nutrition knowledge in experimental group increased

Conclusion

Intervention is effective on increasing or improving knowledge, attitude, and

performance of the students

Nutrition and Gardening Programs

Article Title

LA sprouts randomized controlled nutrition and gardening program reduces

obesity and metabolic risk in latino youth

Author and Year

Gatto NM, Martinez LC, Spruijt-Metz D, David JN. 2015

Sample/Duration

Low income youth; 12 weeks

Methods

Gardening, nutrition, and cooking intervention

45 minutes nutrition education, 45 minutes gardening per week
Experimental and control groups

Results

Experimental group: Decreases in BMI and waist circumference

Pre: 7 participants with metabolic syndrome Post: 1 participant
Control group: Number of students with metabolic syndrome increased

Conclusion:

Significant impact of nutrition and cooking intervention programs on the

health of youth

Relation to Dietetics
Acknowledge effectiveness of nutrition education
Registered Dietitians as educators for patients and
employees
Acceptability of employee education through cooking
demonstrations

Research
Question/
Objective

Determine the
acceptability of cooking
demonstrations/lessons,
along with nutrition
education, by hospital
staff to promote personal
wellness.

Methodology

Methodology
Cross sectional study

2 hour cooking demonstration/nutrition education

Maple Grove Hospital

University of Maryland Medical Center
Inspira Medical Center Woodbury

14 question survey

Handouts/recipe cards provided

Marketing
Hospital-wide emails, table
tents, word-of-mouth

Materials Distributed

Survey
Questions

Demographics
Gender 90% Female

10% Male

Ethnicit 68.5%
y
White

26%
Black

3%
Asian

1.4%
Hispanic

1.4%
Other

Age

19%
30-39
years

21%
40-49
years

37%
50-59
years

13%
60+ years

10%
18-29
years

Results

77%

of participants

learned new nutrition

information

90%

of participants

interested in future nutrition

education/demonstrations

61.4%

of

participants
were able to recall new
information
they learned

52.9%

of

participants plan to make

the recipe at home

Discussion

Limitations
Location differences

Survey design
Time limitations

Conclusion

Conclusion
Nutrition education for healthcare workers can be beneficial
Future studies should hold standard classes
Follow through with implementation

References

1. Adult Obesity Facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html. Updated September 21, 2015. Accessed
December 4, 2015.

2. Childhood Obesity Facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html. Updated June 19, 2015. Accessed
December 4, 2015.

3. Anderko L, Roffenbender JS, Goetzel RZ, et al. Promoting prevention through the Affordable Care Act: workplace wellness. Prev Chronic Dis. 2012;9:120092. doi:
http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd9.120092.

4. Gatto NM, Martinez LC, Spruijt-Metz D, David JN. LA sprouts randomized controlled nutrition and gardening program reduces obesity and metabolic risk in latino
youth. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2015;23(6):1244-1252. doi:10.1002/oby.21077.

5. Thorndike A, Healey E, Sonnenberg L, Regan S. Participation and cardiovascular risk reduction in a voluntary worksite nutrition and physical activity program. Prev
Med. 2011;52(2):164-166. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2010.11.023.

6. Gates D, Brehm B, Hutton S, Singler M, Poeppelman A. Changing the work environment to promote wellness: a focus group study. Workplace Health & Safety.
2006;54(12):515-520. doi:10.1177/216507990605401202.

7. Ni Mhurchu C, Aston LM, Jebb SA. Effects of worksite health promotion interventions on employee diets: a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2010;10:62.
doi:10.1186/1471-2458-10-62.

8. Thorndike A, Sonnenberg L, Healey E, Myint-U K, Kvedar J, Regan S. Prevention of weight gain following a worksite nutrition and exercise program. Am J Prev Med.
2012;43(1):27-33. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2012.02.029.

9. Cook RF, Billings DW, Hersch RK, Back AS, Hendrickson A. A field test of a web-based workplace health promotion program to improve dietary practices, reduce
stress, and increase physical activity: randomized controlled trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 2007;9(2):e17. doi:10.2196/jmir.9.2.e17.

10. Vardanjani AE, Reisi M, Javadzade H, Pour ZG, Tavassoli E. The effect of nutrition education on knowledge, attitude, and performance about junk food consumption
among students of female primary schools. J Educ Health Promot. 2015;4(53). doi: 10.4103/2277-9531.162349.

11. 2013 Program Impact: Nutrition Links Annual Report for the 2013-2014 Fiscal Year. Penn State Cooperative Extension Website.
http://extension.psu.edu/health/nutrition-links/about/annual-reports/2013/program-impact-2013. Published 2013. Accessed November 1, 2015.

Contact Information
For additional information, please contact:
Eman Kemp

Kemp-Eman@Aramark.com
Kristen Molnar

Molnar-Kristen@Aramark.com

Ashley Roberts

Roberts-Ashley@Aramark.com