The Effects of a Health Promotion Program on Body Mass Index

Abstract

The Effects of a Health Promotion Program on Body Mass Index: Katsuya FURUKI, et al. Department of Occupational Health, Kyoto Industrial Health Association—The objectives of the study were to clarify the effects of a health promotion program approved by the “Total Health Promotion Plan (THP)” sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Labour on body mass index (BMI) and to identify the potential value of BMI. A group of 392 men and 115 women aged 26-55 years who had taken part in THP for four years were the subjects of this follow-up study. Longitudinal change in BMI and other medical parameters (including systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol) were analyzed in the THP group in comparison with those of a control group (matched by sex, age and term of follow-up). No significant difference in medical parameters was detected between the THP group and the control group, but major findings indicate that change in BMI is closely related to change in other medical parameters and that lifestyle deterioration of overweight workers increases BMI and lifestyle improvement (especially dietary habits) reduces BMI. The present study suggests that lifestyle improvement results in a decrease in BMI followed by improvement in medical parameters. Both BMI and change in BMI appear to be comprehensive indicators of the health status of overweight workers. (J Occup Health 1999; 41: 19-26)