IFAS folic acid team creates workplace toolkit to promote healthy employees
Employers have a vested interest in keeping workers healthy. Besides being happier in general, healthy employees are more likely to have good attendance and be more productive.
With those things in mind, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers used a March of Dimes grant to develop a toolkit for folic acid education in the workplace. One of the program’s goals is to enhance folic acid intake — believed to help reduce the risk of certain birth defects — among women of childbearing age.
Food Science and Human Nutrition Department researchers took their quest to Badcock Furniture & More in Mulberry, Fla. During the month long program, Badcock’s staff put up posters about folic acid, distributed brochures and handouts, and conducted lunch presentations for more than 100 employees. All employees were sent five folic acid-related e-mails.
Before the program, employees were surveyed on their knowledge of folic acid and their multivitamin intake. After one month of folic acid education and awareness-raising activities, employees were surveyed again. The surveys showed statistically significant increases in the employees’ knowledge of folic acid and changes in behavior.
For instance, among the female employees of childbearing age, 45 percent took a daily multivitamin containing folic acid before the awareness program, and 70 percent did so after.
Before the program, 9 percent knew the correct daily dosage of folic acid, and 57 percent did after. Along those same lines, before the program, 24 percent knew they needed to take folic acid every day, and by the program’s end, 68 percent knew.
The employees indicated through surveys that they’d learned most of what they knew about folic acid through the program at their work.
“We’re pleased with the results we saw at Badcock and our goal is to have the program used in all types of worksites,” said Gail Rampersaud, a registered dietitian and co-principal investigator with faculty members Gail Kauwell and Lynn Bailey.
In January, the researchers won a renewal grant from the March of Dimes Florida Chapter to continue the worksite program, and are working to expand to four new workplaces. Contact Gail Rampersaud at 352-392-1978, ext. 423 for details.
Visit www.FolicAcidNow.net or marchofdimes.com for more information about folic acid.
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