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Clinical Trial
. 2017 Jan 9;17(1):49.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3988-7.

A cost-analysis of complex workplace nutrition education and environmental dietary modification interventions

Sarah Fitzgerald  1 , Ann Kirby  2 , Aileen Murphy  2 , Fiona Geaney  3 , Ivan J Perry  3
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

A cost-analysis of complex workplace nutrition education and environmental dietary modification interventions

Sarah Fitzgerald et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: The workplace has been identified as a priority setting to positively influence individuals' dietary behaviours. However, a dearth of evidence exists regarding the costs of implementing and delivering workplace dietary interventions. This study aimed to conduct a cost-analysis of workplace nutrition education and environmental dietary modification interventions from an employer's perspective.

Methods: Cost data were obtained from a workplace dietary intervention trial, the Food Choice at Work Study. Micro-costing methods estimated costs associated with implementing and delivering the interventions for 1 year in four multinational manufacturing workplaces in Cork, Ireland. The workplaces were allocated to one of the following groups: control, nutrition education alone, environmental dietary modification alone and nutrition education and environmental dietary modification combined. A total of 850 employees were recruited across the four workplaces. For comparison purposes, total costs were standardised for 500 employees per workplace.

Results: The combined intervention reported the highest total costs of €31,108. The nutrition education intervention reported total costs of €28,529. Total costs for the environmental dietary modification intervention were €3689. Total costs for the control workplace were zero. The average annual cost per employee was; combined intervention: €62, nutrition education: €57, environmental modification: €7 and control: €0. Nutritionist's time was the main cost contributor across all interventions, (ranging from 53 to 75% of total costs).

Conclusions: Within multi-component interventions, the relative cost of implementing and delivering nutrition education elements is high compared to environmental modification strategies. A workplace environmental modification strategy added marginal additional cost, relative to the control. Findings will inform employers and public health policy-makers regarding the economic feasibility of implementing and scaling dietary interventions.

Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials: ISRCTN35108237 . Date of registration: The trial was retrospectively registered on 02/07/2013.

Keywords: Cost-analysis; Environmental dietary modification; Micro-costing; Workplace dietary interventions; Workplace health promotion.

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