N14008: the effectiveness of a community challenge to promote healthy diets and levels of physical activity.
Monday 12 February 2007
This research project will assess the effectiveness of engaging communities in making healthy changes in diet and levels of physical activity through a community challenge.
Study Duration: December 2006 to September 2009
Contractor: University of Teesside, Institute for Health Sciences and Social Care.
Background
Dietary intakes and levels of physical activity, particularly amongst adults on low incomes, fall short of UK Government targets. This project will attempt to address deficiencies in previous approaches to health promotion by working with established networks and healthy lifestyle projects.
Research Approach
Within Middlesbrough Primary Care Trust, two of the five public health locality teams and community �champions� will receive relevant training. They will deliver a community development intervention, where individual adults and groups, will be invited to make a pledge of their choice to make healthy changes to their diet and levels of physical activity and (optional) body weight. Another two public health locality teams will serve as controls, and will collect data through a population health promotion intervention. Data from all groups will be collected at baseline, 6 months and 1 year.