Dataset Information

Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Policy, Systems, and Environmental Strategies: A Content Analysis of Community Health Improvement Plans.

ABSTRACT: Background: Policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) approaches can sustainably improve healthy eating (HE) and physical activity (PA) but are challenging to implement. Community health improvement plans (CHIPs) represent a strategic opportunity to advance PSEs but have not been adequately researched. The objective of this study was to describe types of HE and PA strategies included in CHIPs and assess strategies designed to facilitate successful PSE-change using an established framework that identifies six key activities to catalyze change. Methods: A content analysis was conducted of 75 CHIP documents containing HE and/or PA PSE strategies, which represented communities that were identified from responses to a national probability sample of US local health departments (<500,000 residents). Each HE/PA PSE strategy was assessed for alignment with six key activities that facilitate PSE-change (identifying and framing the problem, engaging and educating key people, identifying PSE solutions, utilizing available evidence, assessing social and political environment, and building support and political will). Multilevel latent class analyses were conducted to identify classes of CHIPs based on HE/PA PSE strategy alignment with key activities. Analyses were conducted separately for CHIPs containing HE and PA PSE strategies. Results: Two classes of CHIPs with PSE strategies emerged from the HE (n = 40 CHIPs) and PA (n = 43 CHIPs) multilevel latent class analyses. More CHIPs were grouped in Class A (HE: 75%; PA: 79%), which were characterized by PSE strategies that simply identified a PSE solution. Fewer CHIPs were grouped in Class B (HE: 25%; PA: 21%), and these mostly included PSE strategies that comprehensively addressed multiple key activities for PSE-change. Conclusions: Few CHIPs containing PSE strategies addressed multiple key activities for PSE-change. Efforts to enhance collaborations with important decision-makers and community capacity to engage in a range of key activities are warranted.

SUBMITTER: Sreedhara M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7775553 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Policy, Systems, and Environmental Strategies: A Content Analysis of Community Health Improvement Plans.

Sreedhara Meera M Goulding Melissa M Valentine Goins Karin K Frisard Christine C Lemon Stephenie C SC

Frontiers in public health 20201218

<b>Background:</b> Policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) approaches can sustainably improve healthy eating (HE) and physical activity (PA) but are challenging to implement. Community health improvement plans (CHIPs) represent a strategic opportunity to advance PSEs but have not been adequately researched. The objective of this study was to describe types of HE and PA strategies included in CHIPs and assess strategies designed to facilitate successful PSE-change using an established framework ...[more]

PMID: 33392132

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Project description:ContextPolicies (eg, regulations, taxes, and zoning ordinances) can increase opportunities for healthy eating. Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIP) may foster collaboration and local health department (LHD) engagement in policy decision making to improve local food environments. Limited research describes what policies supportive of healthy food environments are included in CHIPs nationally and relationships between LHD characteristics and participation in plans including such policies.ObjectivesTo determine the proportion of US LHDs who participated in development of a CHIP containing healthy eating policy strategies and assess the association between LHD characteristics and inclusion of any healthy eating policy strategy in a CHIP.DesignA cross-sectional national probability survey.ParticipantsOf the 209 US LHDs (serving populations <500 000) (response rate: 30.2%), 176 LHDs with complete data on CHIP status, outcomes, and covariates were eligible for analysis.Main outcome measuresThirteen healthy eating policy strategies were organized into 3 categories: increasing availability/identification of healthy foods, reducing access to unhealthy foods, and improving school food environments. Strategies and categories were identified from literature and public health recommendations.ResultsIn total, 32.2% of LHDs reported inclusion of 1 or more healthy eating policy strategies in a CHIP. The proportion of departments reporting specific strategies ranged from 20.8% for school district policies to 1.1% for sugar-sweetened beverage taxes. Local health departments serving 25 000 to 49 999 residents (odds ratio [OR]: 5.00; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.71-14.63), 100 000 to 499 999 residents (OR: 3.66; 95% CI: 1.12-11.95), pursuing national accreditation (OR: 4.46; 95% CI: 1.83-10.83), or accredited (OR: 3.22; 95% CI: 1.08-9.63) were more likely to include 1 or more healthy eating policy strategies in a CHIP than smaller LHDs (<25 000) and LHDs not seeking accreditation, respectively, after adjusting for covariates.ConclusionsFew LHDs serving less than 500 000 residents reported CHIPs that included a policy-based approach to improve food environments, indicating room for improvement. Population size served and accreditation may affect LHD policy engagement to enhance local food environments.

Project description:BackgroundBlogs are widely being used by health professionals and consumers to communicate and access nutrition information. There are numerous benefits for dietitians to establish and contribute to healthy eating blogs. In particular, to disseminate evidence-based nutrition information to promote healthier dietary practices. The aim of this study was to explore characteristics of popular healthy eating blogs and inform the provision of healthy eating information in the Australian context.MethodsA content analysis approach was used to identify characteristics of popular Australian healthy eating blogs. A purposive and snowball sampling approach was used to identify healthy eating blogs from search engines including Google, Bing and Yahoo. Blogs were deemed eligible if: (1) the author self-identified as a health professional; (2) the blog was written by a single author; (3) the blog was written by an Australian author; (4) the blog had a minimum of one post per month, and (5) the blog focused on communicating healthy eating information to the general adult population.ResultsFive popular blogs were followed over a three-month period (December 2017-March 2018), with 76 blog posts included for analysis. Characteristics of these popular blogs were examined and four main features were identified: (i) clearly conveying the purpose of each post; (ii) developing a strong understanding of the reader base and their preferences; (iii) employing a consistent writing style; use of vocabulary and layout; and (iv) communicating healthy eating information in a practical manner. These findings reveal important insight into the features that promote effective nutrition communication within this context.ConclusionFindings from this study highlight common characteristics of popular healthy eating blogs. Future research into the development of blog guidelines which incorporate the characteristics identified in this study can support dietitians in establishing or contributing to the successful provision of evidence-based nutritional information through blogs.

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Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Policy, Systems, and Environmental Strategies: A Content Analysis of Community Health Improvement Plans.

Publications

Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Policy, Systems, and Environmental Strategies: A Content Analysis of Community Health Improvement Plans.

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