"Working for You" Workplace Obesity Intervention

Specific Aim: Test a multi-level worksite weight loss intervention to help workers attain and maintain healthy weight. Investigators propose a new group-level participatory wellness program engaging all employees within intervention work groups. The proposed workplace participatory program will assist work groups to adapt and deploy interventions that change their work environments to support healthy eating and physical activity. Nested within this group-level intervention for all workers, obese (BMI\>30) workers will be offered participation in an individual-level interactive obesity treatment approach (iOTA) intervention based on assessment of individual behavior risks, collaborative goal-setting with a health coach, and use of an interactive text system to provide ongoing support and self-monitoring of behavior change goals. Investigators will test these interventions in a delayed-start group randomized trial in 22 work groups (total workers = 990, obese workers = 308). Specific Aim A: Implement and test a healthy workplace participatory program (HWPP) to promote healthy eating and healthy physical activity among all workers through changes in the work environment. Hypothesis: Workers in intervention groups will show improvements in healthy eating and activity compared to workers in control groups. Specific Aim B: Implement and test an innovative Individual Obesity Treatment Approach (iOTA) in conjunction with changes in work environment. Hypothesis: Obese workers offered the iOTA intervention will lose weight over 24 month follow-up when compared to obese control group workers.