scholarly journals Enacting community health: Obesity prevention policies as situated caring

2021 ◽  
pp. 003802612110063
Author(s):  
Else Vogel
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Obesity Prevention ◽  
Dietary Advice ◽  
Healthy Weight ◽  
Obesity Prevalence ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Promotion Policies ◽  
Heterogeneous Goods ◽  
Critical Policy ◽  
Monolithic Structure

Drawing on Critical Policy Studies and feminist STS, this article conceptualizes obesity prevention activities as ongoing and precarious practices of relating – rather than as means for ‘getting results’ or vehicles through which normative discourses are instilled. It focuses on ‘community approaches’ within public health, whose aim is to stimulate healthy initiatives from what policy makers term ‘bottom-up’, emerging from the situations, concerns and abilities within neighbourhoods. Drawing on ethnographic research on the ‘Amsterdam Healthy Weight Programme’, I demonstrate that different practices of relating enact particular versions of health and community. I warn that reliance on statistics-based problem definitions, dietary advice and professional hierarchies preconfigures health promotion as a matter of ‘reaching out’ to particular ‘problem populations’ defined around class and ethnicity. I show, however, that community approaches may also foster spaces for ‘situated caring’, where health emerges in the negotiation of heterogeneous goods, including neighbourhood revival, togetherness and fun. Situated caring has effects that cannot be captured by obesity prevalence statistics. The study of health promotion policies as practices of relating highlights that policy is not a monolithic structure of plans and commitments but is continuously done and redone. The article, then, introduces a new evaluative field that critically articulates the diverse ways in which ideals such as engagement and health are enacted in practices.

scholarly journals Exploring network structure and the role of key stakeholders to understand the obesity prevention system in an Australian metropolitan health service: study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. e027948
Author(s):  
Jonine Jancey ◽  
Justine Elizabeth Leavy ◽  
Christina Pollard ◽  
Therese Riley ◽  
Maria Szybiak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Systems Thinking ◽  
Obesity Prevention ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Advisory Group ◽  
Obesity Prevalence ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Prevention System

IntroductionLittle progress has been made to address the increasing obesity prevalence over the past few decades, and there is growing concern about the far-reaching consequences for health and well-being related to obesity on a global scale. Systems thinking is emerging as a suitable approach for obesity prevention, as it allows health researchers, practitioners and policy-makers to systematically synthesise existing data, expose gaps, inform priority setting and identify leverage points in the system. The aim of this study is to trial a systems thinking approach to better understand the local obesity prevention system, and identify gaps and viable opportunities for health promotion activities to strengthen obesity prevention efforts in an Australian metropolitan health service.Methods and analysisA mixed methods design will be undertaken in a metropolitan health service area in Perth, Western Australia in 2019–2020. A systems inventory audit will be used to identify physical activity, nutrition and overweight/obesity prevention activities taking place in the study area. An organisational network survey will be administered, and a social network analysis undertaken to examine relationships between organisations in the network. The relationships and interactions will compare the level and type of interactions each organisation has within the network. Parameters including density, centrality and betweenness will be computed using UCINET and Netdraw.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval has been obtained from the Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee (approval number HRE2017-0862). Results will be reviewed with members of the advisory group, submitted to relevant journals and presented at relevant conferences to health promotion practitioners and policy-makers. The area health service, as co-producers of the research, will use findings to inform policy and strategy across the study area.

scholarly journals Assessment of Adult Weight Status by Body Mass index (BMI) and the Association with Socio-Demographic Factors and Commonly Eaten Foods in Indonesia Between 2014–2015

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 729-729
Author(s):  
Salima Taylor ◽  
Katie Fisher ◽  
Ryan Simpson ◽  
Elena Naumova
Keyword(s):  
Weight Status ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Demographic Factors ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Healthy Weight ◽  
Obesity Prevalence ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Double Burden ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Socio Demographic Factors

Abstract Objectives Factors associated with the double burden of underweight and overweight/obesity are not well investigated in Indonesia. Insufficient information leaves policy makers without tools to develop coherent, impactful legislation on these issues. We aim to describe and explain the association between weight status, socio-demographic factors, and food consumption patterns in Indonesia. Methods We used the 5th Wave of the Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS) collected in 2014/15. From the total sample (50,148), we included only adults aged ≥20 years (27,496). We converted BMI into three categories: underweight (BMI < 18.5), healthy weight (18.5 ≤ BMI ≤ 25), overweight/obese (BMI > 25). Sociodemographic factors included location, education, sex, age category, and frequency of commonly eaten food items. We examined associations using multinomial logistic regression models (α < 0.05). Results Urban residents were less likely to be underweight (RRR = 0.90 [0.82, 0.98]; P = 0.014) and more likely to be overweight/obesity (RRR = 1.38 [1.31, 1.46]; P < 0.001) than rural residents. University educated respondents were nearly half as likely of being underweight (RRR = 0.58 [0.46, 0.72]; P < 0.001) but more than twice as likely of being overweight/obesity (RRR = 2.15 [1.82, 2.53]; P < 0.001) compared to uneducated respondents. Women were 25% less likely to be underweight (RRR = 0.76 [0.70, 0.83]; P < 0.001) but over twice as likely of being overweight/obesity (RRR = 2.40 [2.28, 2.54]; P = 0.001) compared to men. Those 40 – 49 and 50 – 59 years were over twice as likely of being overweight/obese (RRR = 2.49 [2.30, 2.71]; P < 0.001; RRR = 2.40 [2.19, 2.65]; P < 0.001, respectively) compared to those 20 –29 years. Interestingly, high rice consumption (≥4 servings/week) was associated with decreased risk of both underweight and overweight/obesity (RRR = 0.62 [0.38, 0.98]; P = 0.043 and RRR = 0.69 [0.49, 0.96]; P = 0.27, respectively). Conclusions Since 2007, underweight prevalence has decreased in Indonesia from 14.4% to 9.8%, while overweight/obesity prevalence increased from 17.9% to 34.4%. Closer examination of the factors driving over- and under-nutrition in Indonesia can inform policy makers of specific target populations for existing national food subsidy programs. Funding Sources NSF IRES US-Indonesian Research Experience #1,826,939.

scholarly journals A more comprehensive approach offering instruments in one portal to facilitate higher uptake

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
C Rossmann ◽  
F De Bock
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Community Setting ◽  
Comprehensive Approach ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Assessment Instruments ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Activity Promotion

Abstract The good practice portal of the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) consists of a nationwide collection of projects and interventions to promote the health of socially disadvantaged groups at community/setting level. An exchange platform (inforo) is also offered via the operating agency, although its use is still limited. The results of the evaluation of the platform suggest that the provision of practical projects and exchange of knowledge alone is not sufficient to support policy makers and practitioners who want to promote health in the community/setting. There is a need for advice on needs assessment, selection and appropriate implementation of health promotion measures. A comprehensive approach currently being tested in the field of activity promotion for older people is the provision of a web-based “toolbox” comprising the following tools: assessment instruments for analysing the need for health promotion measures, a user-friendly intervention/project database and broader evidence synthesis documents, as well as information on project management (organisational, legal, financial). Following the example of other best practice portals, a ranking methodology was developed to make the level of effectiveness of interventions visible and the evaluation requirements transparent. Evidence synthesis documents provide an entry point to learn more generally what works in a particular area of health promotion. In order to make the “toolbox” accessible to policy-makers and practitioners, information from previous studies was used in the development with regard to content and graphical presentation. BZgA is currently working on integrating evidence into the good practice portal. The evaluation of the toolbox in a small area of health promotion will provide initial insights into the inclusion of evidence and its added value. This presentation will conclude with a discussion of possibilities for improvement, challenges and limitations of this approach.

scholarly journals Empowerment: challenges in measurement

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Cross ◽  
James Woodall ◽  
Louise Warwick-Booth
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Theoretical Considerations

Empowerment is core to health promotion; however, there is a lack of consensus in the wider literature as to how to define it and at what level it may occur. Definitional inconsistency inevitably leads to challenges in measuring empowerment; yet if it is as important as is claimed, this must be addressed. This paper discusses the complexities of measuring empowerment and puts forward a number of recommendations for researchers and policy makers as to how this can be achieved noting some of the tensions that may arise between theoretical considerations, research and practice. We argue that empowerment is a culturally and socially defined construct and that this should be taken into account in attempts to measure it. Finally we conclude that, in order to build up the evidence base for empowerment, there is a need for research clearly defining what it is and how it is being measured.

scholarly journals Exploring Agenda-Setting for Healthy Border 2010

2006 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles T. Kozel ◽  
Anne P. Hubbell ◽  
James Dearing ◽  
William M. Kane ◽  
Sharon Thompson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Agenda Setting ◽  
Border Health ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Public ◽  
Mexico Border ◽  
Paso Del Norte ◽  
Policy Agendas ◽  
The U.S

Policy makers take action largely on issues that attain the pinnacle of the policy agenda (Pertschuck, 2001). As a result, how decision makers choose which issues are important has been the subject of much research. Agenda-setting conceptualizes the process of how issues move from relative unimportance to the forefront of policymakers’ thoughts (Dearing & Rogers, 1996). An area within agenda-setting research, Health Promotion Agenda-Setting, provides Health Promotion practitioners with an innovative framework and strategy to set agendas for sustained courses of action (Kozel, Kane, Rogers, & Hammes, 1995). In this interdisciplinary and bi-national exploratory study, funded by the Center for Border Health Research of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, we examine agenda-setting processes in the Paso del Norte Region and evaluates how the public health agenda is determined within the U.S.-Mexico border population. Integrating both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods, the current research is focused on identifying deficiencies in the public health infrastructure in the U.S.-Mexico border area, and identifying channels that exist for working toward the bi-national goals presented in Healthy Border 2010 (U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission, 2003). Research directions, design, and methodologies for exploring health promotion agenda-setting in applied settings, such as Healthy Border 2010, provide health practitioners and policy makers the potential to improve public health leadership by influencing the public health and policy agendas.

Challenges in Health Promotion Policies

2002 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 143-146
Author(s):  
Vappu Taipale
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Promotion Policies

scholarly journals Getting to grips with the obesity epidemic in Europe

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 205031211667040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Cuschieri ◽  
Julian Mamo
Keyword(s):  
Capital Expenditure ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Health Examination ◽  
Obesity Prevalence ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Obesity Epidemic ◽  
Global Epidemic ◽  
Patient Morbidity ◽  
Local Risk ◽  
The Individual

Obesity is a global epidemic. It is responsible for increased patient morbidity and mortality. Significant related pathologies including diabetes mellitus compound the overall risks. Obesity is a significant financial burden. This includes direct and indirect medical costs, amounting to millions of euros each year. Multiple European studies have outlined a steady incline in obesity prevalence rates. Tackling obesity is no easy task. Policy makers aiming to reduce obesity rates should adopt an evidence-based approach. This entails adopting both micro- and macro-interventions tweaked to each country’s individual requirements. The ideal way forward would be to tackle obesity from the individual, population-wide and food industry angles. The key towards a successful intervention is for each country to carry out well-planned health examination studies, in an attempt to pin point local risk factors. Having a correct individualized picture, each country can move forward and draw policies and interventional procedures. The aim should be to primarily improve the quality of life. Second, the country’s capital expenditure is also reduced.

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