The impact of a community-led program promoting weight loss and healthy living in Aboriginal communities: the New South Wales Knockout Health Challenge

BMC Public Health

Research Article

Fiona Christian¹  Wendy Hodge¹  Kiel Hennessey²  Rachael Havrlant²  Louise Maher³  Jo Mitchell³  Michelle Maxwell³  Erin Passmore³  Brooke Shepherd³  Andrew Milat⁴  Justin Richards⁵ 

[1] ARTD Consultants, Level 4/352 Kent Street, Sydney, NSW, Australia;NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation, Chatswood, NSW, Australia;NSW Ministry of Health, North Sydney, NSW, Australia;NSW Ministry of Health, North Sydney, NSW, Australia;Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia;Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia;Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia;

关键词: Aboriginal;    Obesity and overweight;    Weight loss;    Physical activity;    Lifestyle program;    Health promotion;    Program evaluation;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-017-4955-7

 received in 2016-06-07, accepted in 2017-11-28,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundAboriginal people in Australia experience significant health burden from chronic disease. There has been limited research to identify effective healthy lifestyle programs to address risk factors for chronic disease among Aboriginal people.MethodsThe Knockout Health Challenge is a community-led healthy lifestyle program for Aboriginal communities across New South Wales, Australia. An evaluation of the 2013 Knockout Health Challenge was undertaken. Participants’ self-reported physical activity and diet were measured at four time points - at the start and end of the Challenge (via paper form), and 5 and 9 months after the Challenge (via telephone survey). Participants’ weight was measured objectively at the start and end of the Challenge, and self-reported (via telephone survey) 5 and 9 months after the Challenge. Changes in body composition, physical activity and diet between time points were analysed using linear mixed models. As part of the telephone survey participants were also asked to identify other impacts of the Challenge; these were analysed descriptively (quantitative items) and thematically (qualitative items).ResultsA total of 586 people registered in 22 teams to participate in the Challenge. The mean weight at the start was 98.54kg (SD 22.4), and 94% of participants were overweight or obese. Among participants who provided data at all four time points (n=122), the mean weight loss from the start to the end of the Challenge was 2.3kg (95%CI -3.0 to -1.9, p<0.001), and from the start to 9 months after the Challenge was 2.3kg (95%CI -3.3 to -1.3, p<0.001). Body mass index decreased by an average of 0.9kg/m2 (95%CI -1.0 to -0.7, p<0.001) from the start to the end of the Challenge, and 0.8kg/m2 (95%CI -1.2 to -0.4, p<0.001) 9 months after. At the end of the Challenge, participants reported they were more physically active and had increased fruit and vegetable consumption compared with the start of the Challenge, and identified a range of other positive impacts.ConclusionsThe Challenge was effective in reducing weight and promoting healthy lifestyles among Aboriginal people across New South Wales, and has potential to contribute to closing the health gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017