Employee Wellness Programs: nutrition and physical fitness Programs

nutrition and physical fitness initiatives have demonstrated effectiveness in delaying the onset of worker morbidity while enhancing self esteem, stress management and general feelings of well being. Although many nutrition and physical fitness initiatives are instructional in nature, they should go beyond educational initiatives by providing enabling supports for the adoption of healthy behaviors.

Quality Employee Wellness Programs encourage and facilitate participation in daily physical activity for all workers, and when possible family members and retired workers. This is accomplished through access to fitness facilities, (preferably on site) and properly supervised physical fitness classes. In addition a broad-based program will provide opportunities for Individualized physical fitness and nutrition prescriptions from certified experts. Commitment to the model is demonstrated through occupational food services and sales consistent with healthy nutrition. Specific initiatives to include:

• Resistance training
• Flexibility conditioning initiatives
• Healthy cooking classes
• Aerobic conditioning initiatives
• Diet planning and analysis assistance
• Physical rehabilitative initiatives
• Weight/body fat control initiatives
• Team and individual recreational sports initiatives
• Physical fitness assessments and initiatives