Produce Industry Veteran To Lead Worksite Health Promotion Program
"We are thrilled to have Curtis join our worksite team as he brings a unique marketing perspective from his many years in the produce industry," said Desiree Backman, DrPH, MS, RD, manager of the Network's California 5 a Day Campaign. "Approximately 68 percent of working-age Californians are currently employed, so making sure people have access to fruits and vegetables and physical activity at work is absolutely critical to managing health care costs."
Prior to this position, Granger worked as a consultant providing research, strategy and development with a program implementation focus. His formative experiences with business development, research, consumer and trade marketing management came from heading efforts for Ripen 'N Ready Tree Fruit, Chilean Fresh Fruit Association and California Kiwifruit Commission over the past 17 years. He also served as the Chairman of the Produce for Better Health Foundation, National 5 a Day Program in 2003 and as a member of the Network's California 5 a Day Executive Joint Steering Committee.
"I am excited about the opportunity to lead the roll-out of the worksite program in California," said Granger. "Healthcare costs are a major expense now for all businesses, but worksite health promotion programs can help to reduce these costs. By providing employees and employee management with nutrition and physical activity programs, we are encouraging positive lifestyle changes that help prevent chronic diseases without the use of expensive drugs or medical treatments."
The worksite program will begin implementation in January 2007 and is projected to reach 220 low-wage worksites statewide within nine months. In addition to these efforts, the worksite program materials are available at http://www.ca5aday.com to all California employees.
The main component of the worksite program is a comprehensive California Fit Business Kit that contains nine tools to help businesses improve employee health and productivity by incorporating more fruits, vegetables and physical activity in the worksite. Some of these tools include a workplace environmental assessment, healthy meeting policies, healthy vending and healthy menu guidelines and a walking club guide. Also included in the kit is the Take Action! Employee Wellness Program. This free, 10-week, web-based worksite wellness program encourages employees to set individual fruit and vegetable and physical activity goals, and to work in teams to meet or exceed their goals.
Worksites that participate in the program will not only have access to great resources, but they will be eligible to apply for a California Fit Business Award. This award, which was developed by the California Task Force on Youth and Workplace Wellness and is supported by the California 5 a Day-Be Active! Worksite Program, recognizes employers who make outstanding contributions toward improving employee health by promoting healthy eating and physical activity.
The worksite program is essential to California employers because physical inactivity, overweight and obesity were estimated to have cost California $28 billion in 2005, half as lost productivity at work and half through health care costs. As a result, Granger and health educator, Dona Francis, MPH will be assisting employers in implementing worksite programs in the 11 California regions served by the Network.
For additional information on the Network's California 5 a Day-Be Active! Worksite Program, visit http://www.ca5aday.com and click on Worksite Program.
About the California Nutrition Network
The California Nutrition Network for Healthy, Active Families (Network)is a program in the California Department of Health Services and works with more than 300 different public, non-profit and business partners throughout the state to empower low-income Californians to consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables and enjoy physical activity every day. For more information, log on to the Network's Web site at http://www.ca5aday.com.
About the Public Health Institute
The Public Health Institute assists the State of California in operating the California Nutrition Network. For more information, visit http://www.phi.org or contact Cinderella Lee at (510) 285-5533.
Public Health Institute
http://www.phi.org
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