Worksite health promotion programs can reach large numbers of employees with information, activities, and services that encourage the adoption of healthy dietary choices and physical activities. Additionally, these programs may reduce health care costs, including employer costs for insurance programs, disability benefits, medical expenses, and employee sick leave.

The Food and Nutrition Board, in consultation with the Board on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and the Board on Neurosciences and Behavioral Health of the Institute of Medicine, conducted a 15-month study to assess the health promotion programs within the NASA organization and make recommendations for future programs. A multidisciplinary committee determined the current status of preventive health programs and facilities to support these programs in each of the NASA worksites, assess the attitudes of employees toward existing preventive health programs at their sites, recommend options to improve the availability of programs and increase employee program participation to maintain or improve health, and evaluate the effectiveness of actions taken to improve preventive health care for all employees.