Tobacco use cessation and weight management among motor freight workers: results of the gear up for health study

Abstract

Objectives: To present the results of a study of a worksite-based intervention to promote tobacco use cessation and improve weight management among motor freight workers.

Methods: This study used a pre-test/post-test, non-randomized design to assess the effectiveness of a four-month intervention that addressed the social context of the work setting. We evaluated 7-day tobacco quit prevalence among baseline tobacco users, and successful weight management, defined as no weight gain in workers with BMI <25 at baseline and any weight loss among overweight and obese workers.

Results: At baseline, 40% were current tobacco users, and 88% had a BMI of 25 or greater. Of 542 workers invited to participate, 227 agreed to participate and received at least the first telephone call (42%). Ten-month post-baseline, baseline tobacco users who participated in the intervention were more likely to have quit using tobacco than non-participants: 23.8% vs. 9.1% (p = 0.02). There was no significant improvement in weight management.

Conclusions: Incorporating work experiences and job conditions into messages of health behavior change resulted in significant tobacco use cessation among participating motor freight workers.

Figure 1

Social contextual model of health behavior change

Figure 2

Gear Up for Health Study Schema