Our physical and social environments can have a major impact on our health and safety. Many employees spend most of their waking hours in the workplace and those surroundings can influence choices to eat well and be active on a daily basis. Some meetings and events include food and beverages, as well as long periods of sitting.
This guide provides recommendations and resources on how to make hold healthy meetings by including nutritious food and beverage choices, using sustainable supplies and providing activity breaks.
Healthy Meeting Food and Beverage Choices
- Serve fruits and vegetables whenever possible
- Always include water, served in pitchers rather than plastic bottles
- Cut bagels and whole grain muffins in halves or quarters and serve with low fat cream cheese or jams
- Serve fresh fruit - cut up and accompanied with low fat yogurt
- Consider dried fruits such as raisins and trail mixes with nuts
- Lightly seasoned popcorn can be served for an afternoon snack break
Sustainable Supplies
- Food, beverages and condiments can be provided in bulk containers rather than single servings
- Provide reusable, washable serving containers and eating utensils
- Choose paper products when materials need to be disposable
- Provide recycling containers for cans, bottles and paper
Activity Breaks
- For 2 hour meetings, provide a stretch break
- March in place
- Step from side-to-side
- Walk around the room
- Slowly stretch neck, shoulders, arms and back without bouncing
- Slowly move arms and torso in circles
- Turn on music and move
- For 2-4 hour meeting, include a 5-10 minute walking break
- For all day meetings, in addition to stretch breaks and a 5 minute activity break, schedule time for a 30 minute break and encourage participants to take a walk outdoors if possible, or walk up and down stairs indoors.
- Encourage participants to move at their own pace.
- Note that participation is strictly voluntary and to only do movement that feels good without any pain.
- Provide sufficient space to prevent injuries.
Additional Resources
1. American Cancer Society (ACS), Meeting Well-A Tool for Planning Healthy Meetings and Events, ACS, 2000. www.acsworkplacesolutions.com/meetingwell
2. CDC, DHHS, Choosing Foods and Beverages for Healthy Meetings,Conferences and Events, www.diabetesatwork.org
3. Healthy People 2020, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, (ODPHP), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), www.healthypeople.gov Healthy People provides science-based, 10-year national objectives for promoting health and preventing disease. Since 1979, Healthy People has set and monitored national health objectives to meet a broad range of health needs, encourage collaborations across sectors, guide individuals toward making informed health decisions, and measure the impact of our prevention activity. Currently, Healthy People 2010 is leading the way to achieve increased quality and years of healthy life and the elimination of health disparities. Every 10 years, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) leverages scientific insights and lessons learned from the past decade, along with new knowledge of current data, trends, and innovations. Healthy People 2020 will reflect assessments of major risks to health and wellness, changing public health priorities, and emerging issues related to our nation's health preparedness and prevention.
4. University of California - Berkeley, Healthy Meetings, healthymeetings.pdf
5. University of California - Riverside, R' Guide to Healthy Meetings and Events, http://wellness.ucr.edu Includes tips for healthy vending machines.
6. University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Guidelines for Offering Healthy Foods at Meetings, Seminars and Catered Events, http://www.ahc.umn.edu
7. USDA and DHHS, Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, http://www.health.gov
About The Author
Dr. Barbara Moquin is a Transpersonal Psychologist and Nationally Board-Certified as an Advanced Practice Clinical Nurse Specialist/ Psychotherapist. Dr. Moquin has certification as an Health Promotion Director that includes expertise in Stress Management and Suicide Prevention, Substance Abuse Prevention, Tobacco Cessation, Employee Health, Fitness and Weight Management.
Dr. Moquin is a member of the National Association of Female Executives, Society of Occupational Health Psychology, the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved, Alpha Sigma Nu, Sigma Theta Tau, Marquis Who's Who in American Women and Cambridge Who's Who of Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs. She has trained at Harvard's Mind-Body Institute in Behavioral Medicine.
Dr. Moquin has published with colleagues, in the areas of Arthritis, Pain, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Use in the Elderly, Integrative Health and World Tourism, Employee Wellness and CAM and Depression. Dr. Moquin is a frequent presenter at international and national conferences. She serves as Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Uniformed Services University.
Dr. Moquin continues her expertise in CAM and Health Disparities by providing volunteer services for community minorities and underserved populations and maintains a private practice providing Integrative Psychotherapy.
Rachel Permuth-Levine, PhD, MSPH, is a public health practitioner and an expert in worksite health promotion. As a health behavior theorist, she strives to use evidence-based programs that produce the best results for her employees. Rachel is also a yoga and fitness instructor.
