National Nutrition Month Workplace Wellness Tips, Infographics From HES

MIDLAND, Mich. - March 16, 2017 - PRLog -- Many people think they're on track with healthy eating — but for most, it's wishful thinking at best. A representative poll of 3000 US adults by NPR and Truven Analytics found 75% rank nutrition habits as good, very good, or excellent. These are perplexing results, considering that study after study shows Americans aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables while getting far too much sugar  and too little fiber — among other poor nutrition habits. Worse yet, many suffer from food-related chronic conditions.

Too Much of a Good Thing

Health experts point to large portion sizes as a major culprit. Packaged foods and recipes promoted as healthy or organic tend to cause the health halo effect — where people believe they can eat unlimited quantities: It's good for me. Truth is, even highly nutritious foods contribute to excess calories and health problems if you polish off more than you need. More fruits and vegetables, for example, won't promote weight loss unless they replace less-nutritious, higher-calorie foods.

Food Lies and Misperceptions

Choosing organic produce — especially items on the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen list — is a good idea for reducing exposure to pesticides and food additives as well as minimizing environmental impact. But evidence is mixed regarding clear nutrition benefit. Superfoods are all the rage, but adding them to a traditional high-fat, high-sodium, or sugary dish doesn't magically make it "healthy." And while a small percentage of people have a documented medical reason for going gluten free, many do so because they believe it's a beneficial dietary change; for most, it's not.

"Countering well-meaning but misguided nutrition beliefs and behaviors in the workplace can be an uphill battle," notes Dean Witherspoon, HES CEO and founder. Clever marketing tactics prey on the consumer's desire for a magic nutrition bullet: If I just eat more of that, or take this supplement, or cut this entire food group out of my diet, I'll lose weight for good. And people don't like to admit they've been duped. "We created these infographics to give wellness leaders simple, inexpensive, easy-to-implement ideas for clearing up nutrition myths and promoting healthy eating."

Free downloads:

8 Nutrition Myth-Busting Strategies for Workplace Well-Being

Promoting Fruits and Veggies: Time to Make Some Noise

HES creates employee well-being programs for organizations in North America and throughout the world. More than 20 engaging wellness campaigns have been adopted by thousands of organizations — serving millions of participants. For more information, visit hesonline.com or call 800.326.2317. Learn more about HES wellness campaigns, white papers, SlideShare presentations, and Well-Being Practitioner journal at hesonline.com.