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Promoting waist circumference as an indicator of chronic disease: How did measure-up measure up?
Oral Abstracts obesity. We argue for a critical examination of the ways evidence is defined and used in populationlevel interventions in weight. We consider what was valued in the evidence generated when evaluating ‘‘How do you measure up?’’ We conclude that enhancing our capacity to identify and articulate the concepts and values inherent in the ethics and evidence of health promotion will result in more informed and accountable practice. doi:10.1016/j.orcp.2010.09.134 O70 Promoting waist circumference as an indicator of chronic disease: How did measure-up measure up? A.C. Grunseit 1,∗ , E.L. King 2 , A. Bauman 1
S69 waist (31.4—36.6%, p = .014) and trying to reduce WC in the last 6 months (49.1—54.2%, p = .025) increased, but self-reported WC above the recommended threshold and satisfaction with current WC remained stable. Intention to measure and/or reduce WC ‘‘as a result of the campaign’’ were bivariately associated with demographic characteristics and WC perceptions, and higher in respondents who agreed the campaign communicated the link between WC and chronic disease (intention to measure: 17.5% vs 5.1%, p < .001, intention to reduce 29.5% vs 11.8%, p < .001). In NSW, the measure-up campaign achieved high awareness and successfully conveyed the message linking WC and chronic disease. It demonstrates the potential for such strategies to increase the salience of WC as a means of monitoring and motivating healthy lifestyle change.
1 Prevention
Research Collaboration, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Australia 2 NSW Department of Health, Australia In 2008, the Council of Australian Governments launched Phase 1 of a national social marketing campaign on healthy lifestyles to contribute to a reduction in the burden of chronic disease among Australians. The measure-up campaign used mass media supported by other campaign channels. A key objective of the campaign was to raise awareness of waist circumference (WC) as an indicator for risk of chronic disease. This analysis of the NSW evaluation data examined (1) campaign awareness and recognition, (2) pre- to post-campaign change in WC knowledge, intentions and behaviour, and (3) correlates of WCrelated intentions and recent behaviour. Cross-sectional pre- and post-campaign data was collected by CATI survey (n = 1006 each wave in NSW, 18—65 years). Data were weighted to the NSW population for age, gender and location for analysis. Prompted campaign recognition was high (89%) and 82% agreed it communicated that WC over the recommended threshold increases the risk of chronic disease. Agreement that WC is strongly related to the likelihood of developing a chronic disease increased from 76.2% to 82.7% (p < .001). Knowledge of the recommended WC thresholds increased significantly for both men’s (<1—9.8%, p < .001) and women’s risk (19.4—36.5%, p < .001). In Wave 2, respondents’ estimates of men’s waist risk threshold were, on average, closer to the correct value than at Wave 1, and showed significantly less variation. Rated importance of maintaining a healthy WC (p < .001), proportion measuring their
doi:10.1016/j.orcp.2010.09.135 O71 Sustainable aspects of community capacity; results from a successful community capacitybuilding obesity prevention program in Colac, Victoria M. Virgo-Milton 1,∗ , H. Mavoa 1 , J. Herbert 1 , A. Simmons 1 , A. de Silva-Sanigorski 1,2 , M. Moodie 1 , L. Gibbs 2 , R. Carter 1 , E. Waters 2 , B. Swinburn 1 1 Deakin 2 The
University, Australia University of Melbourne, Australia
The capacity of communities to develop and sustain obesity-prevention programmes is critical to reducing obesity at a population level. The Be Active Eat Well (BAEW) project aimed to build community capacity in Colac from 2002 to 2006 to enable the community to develop and sustain initiatives to reduce obesity. One measure of community capacity is the Community Capacity Index (CCI). This instrument involves participants rating four domains of capacity (network partnerships; knowledge transfer; problem solving; infrastructure) using a Likert scale and providing written examples to support each score. We examined whether the initial increases in the Colac community’s capacity to promote healthy eating and physical activity in primary school children during the BAEW project, as determined by the CCI, had been sustained three years later in 2009. Thirteen health and education professionals in the Colac region completed the CCI. 2009 data were compared to CCI survey data collected at baseline in 2002 (n = 8) and BAEW completion in 2006 (n = 9).
S69 waist (31.4—36.6%, p = .014) and trying to reduce WC in the last 6 months (49.1—54.2%, p = .025) increased, but self-reported WC above the recommended threshold and satisfaction with current WC remained stable. Intention to measure and/or reduce WC ‘‘as a result of the campaign’’ were bivariately associated with demographic characteristics and WC perceptions, and higher in respondents who agreed the campaign communicated the link between WC and chronic disease (intention to measure: 17.5% vs 5.1%, p < .001, intention to reduce 29.5% vs 11.8%, p < .001). In NSW, the measure-up campaign achieved high awareness and successfully conveyed the message linking WC and chronic disease. It demonstrates the potential for such strategies to increase the salience of WC as a means of monitoring and motivating healthy lifestyle change.
1 Prevention
Research Collaboration, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Australia 2 NSW Department of Health, Australia In 2008, the Council of Australian Governments launched Phase 1 of a national social marketing campaign on healthy lifestyles to contribute to a reduction in the burden of chronic disease among Australians. The measure-up campaign used mass media supported by other campaign channels. A key objective of the campaign was to raise awareness of waist circumference (WC) as an indicator for risk of chronic disease. This analysis of the NSW evaluation data examined (1) campaign awareness and recognition, (2) pre- to post-campaign change in WC knowledge, intentions and behaviour, and (3) correlates of WCrelated intentions and recent behaviour. Cross-sectional pre- and post-campaign data was collected by CATI survey (n = 1006 each wave in NSW, 18—65 years). Data were weighted to the NSW population for age, gender and location for analysis. Prompted campaign recognition was high (89%) and 82% agreed it communicated that WC over the recommended threshold increases the risk of chronic disease. Agreement that WC is strongly related to the likelihood of developing a chronic disease increased from 76.2% to 82.7% (p < .001). Knowledge of the recommended WC thresholds increased significantly for both men’s (<1—9.8%, p < .001) and women’s risk (19.4—36.5%, p < .001). In Wave 2, respondents’ estimates of men’s waist risk threshold were, on average, closer to the correct value than at Wave 1, and showed significantly less variation. Rated importance of maintaining a healthy WC (p < .001), proportion measuring their
doi:10.1016/j.orcp.2010.09.135 O71 Sustainable aspects of community capacity; results from a successful community capacitybuilding obesity prevention program in Colac, Victoria M. Virgo-Milton 1,∗ , H. Mavoa 1 , J. Herbert 1 , A. Simmons 1 , A. de Silva-Sanigorski 1,2 , M. Moodie 1 , L. Gibbs 2 , R. Carter 1 , E. Waters 2 , B. Swinburn 1 1 Deakin 2 The
University, Australia University of Melbourne, Australia
The capacity of communities to develop and sustain obesity-prevention programmes is critical to reducing obesity at a population level. The Be Active Eat Well (BAEW) project aimed to build community capacity in Colac from 2002 to 2006 to enable the community to develop and sustain initiatives to reduce obesity. One measure of community capacity is the Community Capacity Index (CCI). This instrument involves participants rating four domains of capacity (network partnerships; knowledge transfer; problem solving; infrastructure) using a Likert scale and providing written examples to support each score. We examined whether the initial increases in the Colac community’s capacity to promote healthy eating and physical activity in primary school children during the BAEW project, as determined by the CCI, had been sustained three years later in 2009. Thirteen health and education professionals in the Colac region completed the CCI. 2009 data were compared to CCI survey data collected at baseline in 2002 (n = 8) and BAEW completion in 2006 (n = 9).