Effect of fresh fruit availability at worksites on the fruit and vegetable consumption of low-wage employees

Abstract

Objective: To examine the impact of fresh fruit availability at worksites on the fruit and vegetable consumption and related psychosocial determinants of low-wage employees.

Design: A prospective, randomized block experimental design.

Setting: Seven apparel manufacturing and 2 food processing worksites.

Participants: A convenience sample of 391 low-wage employees in 6 intervention worksites and 137 low-wage employees in 3 control worksites in Los Angeles, CA.

Intervention: Fresh fruit deliveries with enough for 1 serving per employee, 3 days a week for 12 consecutive weeks. The control worksites did not receive the fruit deliveries.

Main outcome measures: Participants' fruit and vegetable consumption, fruit and vegetable purchasing habits, self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and overall health were measured at baseline, weeks 4 and 8, and following the 12-week intervention.

Analysis: Descriptive statistics and growth curve analysis using hierarchical linear modeling were employed to analyze the data.

Results: Participants in the intervention worksites showed a significant increase in fruit, vegetable, and total fruit and vegetable consumption, purchasing of fruit, family purchasing of vegetables, and self-efficacy toward eating 2 servings of fruit each day compared to the control worksites.

Conclusions and implications: Improving access to fruit during the workday can improve fruit and vegetable consumption, purchasing habits, and self-efficacy of low-income employees.