Why should companies utilise the services of a dietician? Aren’t employees themselves responsible for improving their lifestyle? Obesity can be a subject that is often not addressed at workplaces, even though it should be.
Research and experience have shown that a healthy diet, regular meal rhythm and high-quality food improve employees’ energy and alertness at work. Eating at work has a direct positive impact on work ability. In addition, obesity, metabolic syndrome (MetS) and diabetes affect employees’ work ability and energy levels in the long term. Nutrition plays an important role in the treatment of these diseases, and nutritional therapy is key to maintaining work ability.
Lifestyle’s impact on costs and work ability
The goal of the Prime Minister’s Office’s review on the effectiveness of interventions to support work ability was to identify promotive and early preventive intervention measures to support work ability at the individual, workplace and societal levels. The strongest evidence was found for the positive effects of lifestyle interventions, individual-based stress management, the alternative duty work model, work accommodation/modification, part-time sickness absence, and certain types of individual psychotherapy. Especially lifestyle interventions, stress management, improvement of physical ergonomics and part-time sickness absence can have positive cost effectiveness.
According to the FinTerveys 2017 study, the life quality of overweight and obese people is significantly lower compared to normal weight people. Obese people had poorer physical and psychological work ability and more self-reported absences from work. Obesity has a negative impact on an individual’s experience of health and well-being, which also weakens their work ability.
The National Institute for Health and Welfare has estimated that obesity and its associated diseases generate 1.4–7.0% of health care costs in Finland. Effective treatment of obesity can incur significant cost savings to an organisation, for example, if the number of sickness absences and disability pensions can be reduced. Therefore, it is important to not ignore the problems of an individual and actively support their lifestyle change in cooperation with occupational health.
Dietician supports work ability and coping at work
Effective lifestyle counselling requires extensive understanding of an individual’s overall health and the physical and psychological obstacles for changing their lifestyle. It also demands skill to empathise with the client and identify realistic changes and solutions together. A licensed dietician provides the expertise required for good lifestyle counselling, client interactions and effective implementation of change.
A dietician is an important part of high-quality occupational health care. They support employees’ work ability, which benefits the employer and organisation. A couple of sessions with a dietician are often enough to trigger a significant change.
The services of a dietician are ideal for an employee who needs support, guidance and help, for example, in daily diet planning. Especially those who work shifts or other unusual hours can find eating at work challenging. The dietician also supports the individual with obesity treatment and weight management.
In addition, the dietician provides advice and guidance for:
- the treatment of type 2 diabetes and MetS
- the treatment of eating disorders
- the treatment of coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel diseases
- the treatment of constipation and functional disorders of the digestive tract
- the detection of undernutrition and treatment planning.
The organisation may be entitled to Kela reimbursements (reimbursement category I) for nutritional services. You can find the reimbursement criteria on Kela’s website (in Finnish).
We take care of you – supporting individuals and companies
Pihlajalinna employs licensed dieticians with occupational health specialist’s qualifications and skill to support work ability and well-being at work. Our specialists operate nationwide in various locations. High-quality nutritional therapy is also offered as a convenient remote service, which makes seeking help easier. We make sure that your employees are always treated with empathy – even for problems that are not traditionally considered part of occupational health.
Pihlajalinna’s dieticians offer not only individual guidance but also versatile activities for the entire work community, including lectures, group therapy and well-being events. They are also happy to provide their knowledge and expertise for the preparation of action plans and implementation of workplace surveys.
A diet that promotes well-being, health and coping at work benefits both the employer and the employee, and it is not only about eating at work and coffee breaks. Should your organisation pay closer attention to its employees’ diet?
Anette Palssa
Licensed Dietician, Master of Health Sciences
Brief Therapy (Cognitive and Psychophysical)
Ilana Stolberg
Licensed Dietician, Master of Health Sciences
Media: Lääkärilehti
Impact of obesity on quality of life and working ability in the Finnish adult population – Lääkärilehti (laakarilehti.fi)
Further reading:
Weight management is not based on self-discipline (in Finnish):
https://www.pihlajalinna.fi/tietoa-meista/blogi/painonhallinta-ei-perustu-itsekuriin
Nutritional therapy (in Finnish):
https://www.pihlajalinna.fi/palvelut/yksityisasiakkaat/painonhallinta/ravitsemusterapia
Weight management clinic (in Finnish):
https://www.pihlajalinna.fi/palvelut/yksityisasiakkaat/painonhallinta/painonhallintaklinikka
Common disease clinic (in Finnish):
https://www.pihlajalinna.fi/palvelut/yksityisasiakkaat/kansantautiklinikka