Targeting men's weight in the workplace

Abstract 

Background

This study followed a group of men as they went through a programme of weight loss sessions run by the Health of Men team within the workplace, as part of a wider project that was exploring why men used the Bradford & Airedale Health of Men (HoM) community-based services.

Method

A qualitative approach was adopted, using field notes based on the sessions observed and interviews with the men using the service and the HoM team.

Results

The men were very positive about wanting to join the sessions and they all reported that they had seen changes in their health attitudes and their health behaviours. The men felt that they would not have accessed the sessions if they had been outside of the workplace.

Conclusion

Going into the workplace helped recruit men onto a well received weight management programme and can be seen as an example of a wider issue of how mainstream health services can be integrated with the more traditional occupational health provision.

Keywords: Weight, Men's health, Work, Community, Specialist men's health workers