Can A Nutrition Education Immersion Program Foster Sustainable Improvements in Clinical Parameters Over Time?

An ongoing Nutrition and Education Immersion program is currently ongoing that is supported by Whole Foods, Inc. for their employees. Eighty employees have previously agreed to attend a one week nutrition education and immersion program October 14-21, 2017. This program will involve nutrition education seminars, exercise and support classes that they are scheduled to attend. All meals are provided. They will all be 100% plant based with low oil. All employees will complete a dietary survey at the beginning of the study. Clinical parameters will be tested at start and end of the program. The majority of the lectures are CME certified by Rush University.

All participants will be approached for participation on day one to allow for the collection of the data being obtained as part of the existing project. In addition to the data from the program, this project will include a lab draw for nutritional markers at baseline and at the end of the immersion program, a dietary survey, SF-36, and DASI at baseline. Participants will be contacted by phone at months 3 and 6 and will be asked to complete the dietary survey, SF-36, and DASI. In addition, self-reported weight will be collected, and occurrence of health events (hospitalizations, new diagnoses). This will end their participation.