ArticleGlobal health action2020
Changes in risk factors for non-communicable diseases associated with the 'Healthy choices at work' programme, South Africa.
Article in Global health action, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.
- The relationship between climate change, globalization and non-communicable diseases in Africa: A systematic review.PloS one · 2024Pooled it
- A systematic review of the efficacy, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of workplace-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of problematic substance use.Frontiers in public health · 2022Pooled it
- Workplace Interventions to Improve Physical Activity, Reduce Sedentary Behavior, and Promote Healthy Diet Among Employees in Low- and Middle- Income Countries: A Systematic Review.Research square · 2026Article
- Community perspectives on the built environment, community stress, and the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in Accra, Ghana.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Review
- Review
- Consumer objective and subjective knowledge about healthy foods: An approach to promote healthy lifestyle choices in South Africa.PloS one · 2024Article
- A Systematic Review Protocol for the Effectiveness of Psycho-Educational Intervention Programmes in Addressing the Psychological Risk Factors Associated with Non-Communicable Diseases among Adolescents.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- Evaluation of factors associated with medical male circumcision in South Africa: A case-control study.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2022Observational
- Article
- Pharmaceutical workers' perceptions of physical activity and healthy eating: a qualitative study.BMC research notes · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundGlobally 71% of deaths are attributed to non-communicable diseases (NCD). The workplace is an opportune setting for health promotion programs and interventions that aim to prevent NCDs. However, much of the current evidence is from high-income countries.
objectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate changes in NCD risk factors, associated with the Healthy Choices at Work programme (HCWP), at a commercial power plant in South Africa.
methodsThis was a before-and-after study in a randomly selected sample of 156 employees at baseline and 137 employees at 2-years. The HCWP focused on food services, physical activity, health and wellness services and managerial support. Participants completed questionnaires on tobacco smoking, harmful alcohol use, fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, psychosocial stress and history of NCDs. Clinical measures included blood pressure, total cholesterol, random blood glucose, body mass index, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. The 10-year cardiovascular risk was calculated using a validated algorithm. Sample size calculations evaluated the power of the sample to detect meaningful changes in risk factors.
resultsPaired data was obtained for 137 employees, the mean age was 42.7 years (SD 9.7) and 64% were male. The prevalence of sufficient fruit and vegetable intake increased from 27% to 64% (p < 0.001), those meeting physical activity guidelines increased from 44% to 65% (p < 0.001). Harmful alcohol use decreased from 21% to 5% (p = 0.001). There were clinical and statistically significant improvements in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (mean difference -10.2 mmHg (95%CI: -7.3 to -13.2); and -3.9 mmHg (95%CI: -1.8 to -5.8); p < 0.001) and total cholesterol (mean difference -0.45 mmol/l (-0.3 to -0.6)). There were no significant improvements in BMI. Psychosocial stress from relationships with colleagues, personal finances, and personal health improved significantly. The cardiovascular risk score decreased by 4.5% (> 0.05).
conclusionThe HCWP was associated with clinically significant reductions in behavioural, metabolic and psychosocial risk factors for NCDs.
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