Building a Healthier Workforce: An Evaluation of an Online Nutrition Training for Apprentices

Abstract

Objective: Construction workers face barriers to healthy eating, including work organization and environmental factors, that can affect productivity and lead to chronic conditions. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of an online nutrition training to improve knowledge and behaviors and evaluate the feasibility of conducting this training among apprentices in the highway construction trades. Methods: A pretest-posttest control group design was used. The intervention was conducted using a Web-based electronic learning platform. Results: A total of 36 highway construction apprentices (78% male) completed the study. Intervention participants demonstrated improvements in knowledge immediately after the training, reported modest weight loss, decreased body mass index, and decreased fast food consumption compared with control participants. However, increases in knowledge were not seen at follow-up. The training content and format were well-received, indicating that electronic learning approaches were acceptable for this population. Conclusions and Implications: This project established the acceptability of using an online nutrition training to promote health among apprentices.