Designing and evaluating a participatory workplace nutrition intervention to improve the health and wellbeing of blue-collar (construction) workers

Wronska, Magdalena

Abstract

Background: Construction is an important industry, estimated to employ 7% of the UK workforce and accounting for 6% of the total economic output. A poor state of health and wellbeing of construction labourers has been widely recognised, with workers suffering from a high number of work-related injuries and occupational health problems, including musculoskeletal and lung illnesses as well as poor mental health. In addition, construction workers struggle with healthy food choices due to lack of knowledge, long working hours, remote site locations, poor food facilities on site, and temporary accommodation. Yet, nutrition interventions in construction are rare, with no UK studies.

Aim: The study aimed to design and evaluate a participatory nutrition intervention to improve the health and wellbeing of construction workers.

Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used and the study included three stages. The first, exploratory phase of the project, comprising the literature review and focus groups with construction workers and managers (n=5), informed and determined the next phases, including the questionnaire development and subsequent intervention design. In the next stage, the baseline questionnaire was distributed (n=51), the intervention was designed using the COM-B model and the Behaviour Change Wheel and implemented on a construction site. In the last, evaluation stage, results from the follow-up questionnaires (n=22), findings from individual interviewees (n=13) as well as an intervention plan, checklists and researcher’s notes were used.

Results: Findings from the literature review and focus groups explored construction workers’ nutrition behaviours, identified barriers and facilitators to healthy nutrition choices in the workplace and investigated perceptions of current health interventions, and ways to design a nutrition intervention suitable for the industry. Following the intervention, the questionnaire results showed changes in health and wellbeing outcomes as well as nutrition knowledge, nutrition behaviour and body composition measures (e.g., weight, fat mass, fat free mass, BMI). In addition, data from individual interviews with managers and workers who attended the intervention allowed the evaluation outcomes to be appraised and understood further, in relation to the implementation, fidelity, dose received, dose delivered, reach and recruitment.

Conclusions: Overall, this study shows the process of designing a construction industry tailored nutrition intervention in a participatory manner. The findings indicate that despite context related barriers to the implementation, workplace interventions taking place on ‘real-life’ working construction sites are possible and can bring positive changes, at 6 month follow-up.

Citation

Wronska, M. (2023). Designing and evaluating a participatory workplace nutrition intervention to improve the health and wellbeing of blue-collar (construction) workers. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: May 24, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 3, 2023
• Award Date: Jun 2, 2023