Economic evaluation of an occupational health guideline for prevention of weight gain among employees

OBJECTIVE:: To determine the cost-effectiveness and the financial return of a guideline for occupational physicians (OPs), aimed at the prevention of weight gain among employees. METHODS:: The guideline consisted of a company-environment scan and up to five individual sessions with an OP. Sixteen OPs randomized to the guideline (n = 7) or usual care group (n = 9) recruited 275 and 249 employees. Costs were collected by using 3-monthly retrospective questionnaires. Quality-adjusted life-years gained were determined with 6-monthly administered EuroQol-5D. Waist circumference and body weight were measured at baseline and 18 months. RESULTS:: Unfavorable differences were found on waist circumference (+1.6 cm; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27 to 2.90) and weight (+1.1 kg; 95% CI, 0.01 to 2.15). Probabilities of cost-effectiveness were consistently less than 55%. Net employer loss was O-158 (95% CI, -2865 to 2672). CONCLUSIONS:: The occupational health care guideline was not cost-effective and no financial return was shown. Copyright © 2013 by American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.