The Relationship between Dietary Habits and Work Engagement among Female Finnish Municipal Employees

Nutrients

Maijaliisa Erkkola¹  Henna Vepsäläinen¹  Markus A. Penttinen²  Jenni Virtanen²  Päivi Korhonen²  Marika Laaksonen³  Hannu Kautiainen⁴ 

[1] Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland;Department of General Practice, Turku University and Turku University Hospital, Turku University, 20014 Turku, Finland;Fazer Group, 00941 Helsinki, Finland;Unit of Primary Health Care, Kuopio University Hospital, 70210 Kuopio, Finland;

关键词: work engagement;    nutrition;    mental health;   

DOI  :  10.3390/nu14061267

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Background: Work engagement reflects work-related well-being. It is positively associated with health, life satisfaction, work efficiency, income level, and occupational prospects. However, little is known about the relationship between work engagement and diet. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among female Finnish municipal employees (n = 630) in 2015. Work engagement was assessed using the Utrecht Work Engagement Index. The consumption of healthy and unhealthy food items was determined using a food frequency questionnaire. Sociodemographic factors, health behaviors, depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed with self-administrated questionnaires. Results: Work engagement had a positive relationship with the daily consumption of healthy food items. This association remained significant even after adjusting for age, education years, financial situation, and physical activity. The frequency of consuming unhealthy food items showed no relationship with work engagement. Anxiety and depressive symptoms decreased linearly with the greater consumption of healthy foods. Conclusion: Frequent consumption of healthy food items is associated with higher work engagement, irrespectively of the consumption of unhealthy nutrients. These results encourage health care professionals to recommend healthy food items instead of forbidding unhealthy food, as well as employers to support healthy dietary habits among employees.

【 授权许可】

Unknown