Food for Life

The Food for Life: Employee Wellness Program consists of the same elements proven to be successful in the Physicians Committee’s Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO) study, which found that companies that offer employees a low-fat, plant-based diet in the office can help workers lose weight and improve diabetes.

The 292 employees from 10 GEICO sites across the country were randomly selected to either adopt a low-fat vegan diet with weekly group support or make no diet changes for 18 weeks. The participants at the intervention sites agreed to follow a low-fat vegan diet, which consisted of whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and fruits, with no caloric or serving size restrictions. The cafeterias at intervention GEICO sites added at least one low-fat vegan menu option to every meal, and participants were provided with weekly lunch hour classes held at their worksite for the extent of the study. These participants were also instructed not to stray from their normal exercise patterns in order to strictly focus the study on dietary modifications. The individuals at control GEICO sites had no dietary changes, no guidance, and no additional options were served in their workplace cafeterias. Those who followed a low-fat vegan diet lost an average of 9.5 pounds, significantly decreased total and LDL cholesterol, and, in individuals with diabetes, decreased hemoglobin A1c by an average of 0.7 percentage points.

The program offers:

• Weekly sessions for workers, consisting of nutrition education, cooking demonstrations, food samples, and supportive group discussions
• Support for the employer’s food service provider to incorporate healthful food options into the menu
• Guidance on healthful dining out choices, if there is no employer food service provider

Featured Class Topics

• Power on Your Plate 
• Let’s Go!
• Getting in Gear 
• Breaking the Food Seduction  
• Keys for Natural Appetite Control 
• Digestive Health  
• Introduction to How Food Fight Cancer 
• Introduction to How Foods Fight Diabetes 
• Healthy Blood Pressure

Are you interested in encouraging healthy eating habits in your workplace?

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