Promoting Healthy Hearts in the Work Place

1. Promoting Healthy Hearts in the Work Place Shân Biesman-Simons RD(SA)

2. World Heart Day Why Work with heart? • CVD kills 17.2 million/yr • 80% preventable • ½ waking hours working • Healthy workplace can - increase productivity - reduce absenteeism - lower medical costs - improve morale

3. HSFSA Programmes • Corporate Wellness Screening (established) • Healthy Hearts @ Work Canteen (pilot)

4. Corporate Wellness Screening • Blood pressure • Cholesterol level (TC) Finger prick • Blood glucose Finger prick • Body Mass Index (BMI) Height and weight

5. Corporate Wellness Screening • Pre-testing questionnaire & consent • Nurses do tests • Dietitians will counsel based on findings & present a health talk • Brochures & eating plans made available • Each person screened receives a copy of their results

6. Corporate Wellness Screening • Company receives a corporate health profile & report

7. Follow-up • High risk encouraged to visit clinic/doctor • Heart Mark Diet Line • Intranet articles • Retesting annually encouraged 0860 223 222

8. Healthy Hearts @ WorkCanteen Programme

9. Why canteen programme? More and more South Africans are eating food that is prepared outside of the home.…in restaurants, take-away establishments and canteens

10. Foods served at workplace are often….. • LARGE or ‘super-sized’ portions which are energy dense • HIGH in fat (especially saturated & trans fats) • HIGH in refined carbohydrates • LOW in fibre and micronutrients (poor in fruit, vegetables, legumes & grains) • HIGH in salt & added sugars

11. Role of companies? • Unique & vital role in improving health, wellness and physical fitness of employees • Healthy eating programme can be initial step in increasing accessibility of healthy foods • In staff restaurants, canteens, tuck shops and/or vending machines

12. Goals of Healthy Hearts @ Work Canteen Programme • Make staff aware of healthier food choices at work • Encourage employees to eat a variety of foods in line with HSFSA healthy eating guidelines: • reduced total and saturated fat • increased fibre, fruit and vegetables • reduced salt and sugar • Aim is not to change entire canteen menu, but to provide simple recommendations on how to make it heart healthier

13. Benefits • Improve health and wellness of employees • Reduce risk of CVD • Decrease healthcare costs • Reduce absenteeism of staff • Improve productivity • Build a sustainable business by helping companies attract and retain healthy employees

14. Accreditation process for certification • Catering audit • Monitoring audit • Certification • Re-certification spot check

15. ● Discussions between dietitian and catering & personnel managers.● Input from staff via short surveys with dietitian during lunch breaks● Assessments of:- overall food choices available- food preparation methods- menu cycle- use of fats, vegetables and fruit, fibre-rich foods, sugar and salt Catering audit includes…

16. Monitoring audit • Follow-up monitoring visit is done 8 – 10 • weeks after initial audit • This gives time to make necessary changes • recommended by the dietitian • Monitoring visit provides a useful target-date by • when HSFSA healthy eating goals need to be • implemented

17. Certification • After successful implementation of HSFSA recommendations, company is awarded withcertificate • This means that restaurant/canteen provides healthy options meeting HSFSA standards • Certification is awarded for one year, which can be renewed annually

18. Re-certification spot check To help ensure that healthy catering principles are incorporated successfully in company’s restaurant/canteen over the long term….. • Follow-up re-certification audits may be conducted by dietitian every year • Offer ongoing dietary advice to catering managers if required • Workplaces that qualify for re-certification, will be presented with new certificates

19. Questions?

20. For more information Shân Biesman-Simons RD(SA) Tel: +27 21 447 4222 shan@heartfoundation.co.za www.heartfoundation.co.za