Delivering the Science and the Art of Health Promotion

Robert F. Allen
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Editor's Notes: The Danger and Opportunity of Health Care Reform Providing a Huge Influx of Funds for Health Promotion…and How to Avert Danger

Call for Conference Proposals

Adrienne Keller
Jennifer A. Bauerle

Using a Logic Model to Relate the Strategic to the Tactical in Program Planning and Evaluation: An Illustration Based on Social Norms Interventions
Logic models are a ubiquitous tool for specifying the tactics—including implementation and evaluation—of interventions in the public health, health and social behaviors arenas. Similarly, social norms interventions are a common strategy, particularly in college settings, to address hazardous drinking and other dangerous or asocial behaviors. This paper illustrates an extension of logic models to include strategic as well as tactical components, using a specific example developed for social norms interventions. Placing the evaluation of projects within the context of this kind of logic model addresses issues related to the lack of a research design to evaluate effectiveness.

Charles E. Drum
Jana J. Peterson
Carla Culley
Gloria Krahn
Tamar Heller
Tory Kimpton
Jeff McCubbin
James Rimmer
Tom Seekins
Rie Suzuki
Glen W. White

Guidelines and Criteria for the Implementation of Community-Based Health Promotion Programs for Individuals With Disabilities
Health promotion programs for people with disabilities are in the early stages of development. This critical review utilizes a credentialed expert panel to develop a set of guidelines for community-based health promotion programs for individuals with disabilities. The procedures include a review of background material, systematic literature review with drafted guidelines consisting of operational, participation and accessibility recommendations. The role that those with disabilities can play is addressed and includes program planning, implementation and evaluation, physical and programmatic accessibility of programs and importance of evidence-based practices.

Affrica Jenkins
Helen Christensen
Janine G. Walker
Keith Dear

The Effectiveness of Distance Interventions for Increasing Physical Activity: A Review
In this narrative systematic review, the authors assessed study quality and the key intervention features of distance physical activity interventions. Twenty-two randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria. Distance interventions increased physical activity levels, at least in the short term (that is, when measured 6 months after the intervention was completed). Printed materials, especially when linked with telephone support, were effective in promoting physical activity. Web sites were also effective when compared with control conditions but suffered from problems with poor compliance.

Melbourne F. Hovell
Jeanne F. Nichols
Veronica L. Irvin
Katharine E. Schmitz
Cheryl L. Rock
C. Richard Hofstetter
Kristen Keating
Lori J. Stark

Parent/Child Training to Increase Preteens’ Calcium, Physical Activity, and Bone Density: A Controlled Trial
This study describes a randomized controlled family-based intervention to increase calcium intake, bone-loading physical activity and bone density in healthy children ages 10–13 years. Children were taught to engage in bone-loading physical activity and to eat calcium-rich foods or avoid injuries. Parents were taught behavior management techniques. Results indicated that, for boys, calcium intake and total hip and femoral neck BMD were significantly increased. The authors concluded that, while the intervention showed some positive results, a more powerful intervention may be needed to increase bone-loading physical activity in this age group to required levels to increase bone density.

Rebecca C. Fitch
Lisa J. Harnack
Dianne R. Neumark- Sztainer
Mary T. Story
Simone A. French
J. Michael Oakes
Sarah A. Rydell

Providing Calorie Information on Fast-Food Restaurant Menu Boards: Consumer Views
Information was collected on approaches to providing energy composition for foods on fast-food restaurant menus from participants (n = 150) as part of a larger study on the influence of nutrition labeling on fast-food meal choices.  Adults and adolescents who ate fast-food at least once a week were interviewed about different formats for providing energy composition information for foods on fast-food restaurant menus.   Seventy percent of participants preferred calorie over physical activity information on menus with 61% preferring calorie per meal format over calorie per day.  

David L. Katz
Valentine Y. Njike
Zubaida Faridi
Lauren Q. Rhee
Rebecca S. Reeves
David J. A. Jenkins
Keith T. Ayoob

The Stratification of Foods on the Basis of Overall Nutritional Quality: The Overall Nutritional Quality Index
This paper describes the development of an objective, science-based, and universally applicable system of nutrition guidance. A multidisciplinary expert panel was convened to develop the Overall Nutritional Quality Index.  Dietary guidelines, existing nutritional scoring systems, and other pertinent scientific literature were reviewed.  An algorithm based on the overall nutritional quality was developed and subjected to consumer research and validation testing. The Overall Nutritional Quality Index algorithm incorporates over 30 entries representing both micro- and macro-nutrient properties of foods, as well as weighting coefficients representing epidemiologic associations between nutrients and health outcomes.  In content validity testing, Overall Nutritional Quality Index rankings and expert panel rankings correlated highly (R=0.92; p<0.001).  In regression analysis, aggregated Overall Nutritional Quality Index scores for total diet corresponded well with the Healthy Eating Index (p<0.001) in the National Health and Nutrient Examinations Survey 2003-2006 cohort (n = 15,900).  Combined with a consumer education program, the Overall Nutritional Quality Index has considerable potential to improve dietary patterns, and consequently the public health.

Michael F. Jacobson

An Important New Way to Rate the Nutritional Quality of Foods

Applications

Michael A. Schwartz
Semra A. Aytur
Kelly R. Evenson
Daniel A. Rodríguez

Are Perceptions About Worksite Neighborhoods and Policies Associated With Walking?
This study examined associations of the built environment surrounding worksites and work policies with walking behaviors through a survey of employed adults from Montgomery County, Maryland. Although participants reported worksites exhibiting built environment characteristics supportive of walking, none were associated with walking more than median number of average weekday steps. All four worksite policies were associated with walking more than the median number of average weekday steps. In addition, a perception of few cul-de-sacs and the presence of litter, sidewalks, crosswalks, and pedestrian signals surrounding worksites were associated with higher proportions of participants taking at least one walking trip from work in the last month. Locating worksites in walkable environments and implementing worksite policies may favorably influence employee walking.

The Art of Health Promotion

Larry S. Chapman

Building a Sustainable Administrative Infrastructure for Worksite Wellness Programs
As health care reform intensifies increasing references are being made to Worksite Wellness.  These references are naturally leading to higher expectations for the effectiveness of Worksite Wellness programs.  Yet the ultimate provisions regarding prevention and Wellness are not known.  In the absence of legislative outcomes the focus for this edition is on the necessary administrative infrastructure that  is needed to produce behavioral change, health risk mitigation and economic return from Wellness programming.  Sixteen (16) administrative components are identified as critical to effective Wellness programming.  Employee or health plan population size is seen as a significant variable in the design of the Wellness program’s administrative infrastructure.  Factors in sustainability and programming are also considered.

Selected Abstracts
Seven (7) selected abstracts are provided in this edition.

Closing Thoughts
Editorial comments on the importance and role of administrative infrastructure are expressed in Closing Thoughts.

American Journal of Health Promotion |  248-682-0707