Assessing the feasibility of a worksite wellness seminar addressing physical activity and nutrition risk factors for cardiovascular disease

Abstract

As the leading cause of death in the United States, cardiovascular disease is a chronic condition that has both modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Modifiable include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, tobacco use, and sedentary lifestyle. Non-modifiable include age and family history. Worksite wellness programs have strong evidence to suggest they can be effective at reducing those risk factors that can be modified. Based on the results of a faculty and staff needs assessment (conducted by Virginia Tech in 2024 with 1,730 surveys completed),t a 45-minute health promotion intervention was developed and implemented at a large public university in rural Virginia. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as a framework, the intervention included both a nutrition lesson and exercise program. The TPB suggests that subjective norms, attitudes, and perceived behavioral control are important factors in changing behavior. For both nutrition and exercise, participants (n=8) reported increased knowledge and intent to change behavior on a post-survey that was developed for this project. These results indicate preliminary evidence for the feasibility of a tailored nutrition and exercise program for employees at risk for cardiovascular disease.