Healthy Places

Source: National Heart Forum (NHF)

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Date of publication: 21 October 2011

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: The NHF announced the launch of Healthy Places, a new interactive online resource developed with the backing of the Department of Health.  It covers legal issues, planning law and regulations to show local councils, planning groups and health practitioners how they can use existing legislation to improve public health. Features a wide range of highly practical case studies from throughout the UK, showing how the legal regulatory environment is used in areas such as travel, food, physical activity, to proactively support healthy communities.

Length of publication: 1 web page

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement:

Free your feet evaluation 2011: key findings and recommendations

Source: BHF National Centre for physical activity and health 

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Date of publication: September 2011

Publication type: Report

In a nutshell: 300 secondary schools in the UK took part in the ‘Find your feet’ incentivised walking initiative earlier this year. Loughborough University has evaluated the campaign, talking to Schools Coordinators and young people who took part, and this is their report of the key findings and recommendations.

Length of publication: 7 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Effectiveness of a Canteen Take Away concept in promoting healthy eating

Source: Public Health Nutrition (first view article)

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Date of publication: June 2011

Publication type: Research

In a nutshell: This Danish study investigated the Canteen Take Away (CTA), a relatively new concept which provides employees with healthy ready-to-heat meals to take home to their families. The research showed that the CTA is an effective tool for the promotion of healthy eating habits.

Length of publication: 7 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

UK physical activity guidelines

Source: Department of Health

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Date of publication: July 2011

Publication type: Report

In a nutshell: These physical activity guidelines from the CMO are scientifically informed, and cover early years, children and young people, adults and older adults across the four countries of the UK.

Length of publication: 1 webpage plus linked factsheets

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library. 

Tool for GPs predicts public health savings to NHS

Source: GPonline.com

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Date of publication: 4 July 2011

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: A toolkit has been developed by the National Social Marketing Centre, in conjunction with NICE and the Department of Health. It is designed to indicate the health gains and cost effectiveness of interventions such as those aiming to reducing levels of alcohol consumption, obesity, smoking, etc. 

Length of publication: 1 webpage

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Assessing the options to use the regulatory environment to promote local physical activity and healthy eating

Source: National Heart Forum and the British Heart Foundation Health Promotion Research Group, University of Oxford

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Date of publication: 11 April 2011

Publication type: Report

In a nutshell: This reports on a project carried out by the BHF Health Promotion Research Group in the Department of Public Health at Oxford University. It describes the roles and responsibilities of local authorities, assesses the evidence and identifies legal options for implementation by local government, in the battle to prevent obesity, and promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles.

Length of publication: 148 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

 

Multiple risk factor interventions for primary prevention of coronary heart disease

Source: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2011, issue 1

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Date of publication: January 2011

Publication type: Systematic review

In a nutshell: The evidence from this Cochrane systematic review suggests that multiple risk factor interventions using counselling and educational methods to change behaviour do not reduce coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality and morbidity. However, they may be effective in reducing mortality in high-risk hypertensive and diabetic populations. It concludes that health promotion interventions have limited use in general populations.

Length of publication: 175 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Improving cardiovascular health at population level

Source: BMJ 2011; 342:d442 (Online First)

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Date of publication: February 2011

Publication type: Research

In a nutshell: The Cardiovascular Health Awareness Program (CHAP) was implemented as an intervention to reduce morbidity from cardiovascular disease among older adults in 39 communities in Canada. This collaborative, community-based health promotion and prevention programme was found to reduce cardiovascular morbidity at a population level.

Length of publication: 8 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Tackling of unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and obesity: health effects and cost-effectiveness

Source: Lancet, 2010, 376 (9754) p. 1775-1784

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Date of publication: November 2010

Publication type: Report

In a nutshell: This report assesses public health strategies designed to tackle behavioural risk factors for chronic diseases in low-income and middle-income countries. England was included for comparative purposes. Cost-effective interventions such as health information and communication strategies, fiscal and regulatory measures are discussed.

Length of publication: 8 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Interventions to promote cycling: systematic review

Source: BMJ 2010;341:c5293

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Date of publication: October 2010

Publication type: Systematic review

In a nutshell: Controlled trials and experimental or observational studies from seven countries were analysed to determine what interventions are effective in promoting cycling.

Length of publication: 10 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Defining and setting national goals for cardiovascular health promotion and disease reduction

Source: Circulation, 2010, 121 (4) p. 586-613

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Date of publication: February 2010

Publication type: Report

In a nutshell: Recommendations of the Goals and Metrics Committee of the Strategic Planning Task Force of the American Heart Association (AHA). This committee has determined the metrics needed to monitor cardiovascular health over time, and recommends goals for further reductions in cardiovascular disease and stroke mortality. Its Impact Goals are: ‘By 2020, to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20% while reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20%’. These goals will require new strategic directions from the AHA in its research, clinical, public health and advocacy programmes for cardiovascular health promotion and disease prevention in the next decade and beyond.

Length of publication: 28 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement: American Heart Association

Taking the fight against heart disease and stroke right into the heart of the community

Source:  Healthier Horizons: the vision one year on. NHS North West, 2009.

Follow this link for fulltext (page 17 of 40)

Date of publication:  2009

Publication type: Report

In a nutshell: NHS Blackpool is one of Lancashire’s ‘Healthier Horizons Champions’. The ‘Healthy Communities’ project used small, multi-agency teams and volunteers to take services to hard-to-reach groups, going out to hotels, working men’s clubs, supermarkets and other venues in order to encourage health checks, lifestyle changes and early interventions. Includes a case study of volunteering at a soup kitchen.

Length of publication:  1 page

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.