Effectiveness of numeric enegery menu labelling and potential alternative formats and/or content: an evidence review

This review was conducted between January and March 2016 to inform ongoing implementation of the NSW Fast Choices Menu Labelling legislation. This legislation was passed by NSW Parliament in November 2010 requiring certain food outlets particularly in the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) setting to display nutrition information in the form of numeric kilojoule (kJ) amounts for food and beverage items at the point-of-sale, on menu boards. Requirements came into effect on 1 February 2011, with a 12-month period for QSRs to comply before 1 February 2012. The primary audience for this review is the Working Group of the Fast Choices Labelling Reference Group within NSW. Research questions and primary outcomes, inclusion and exclusion criteria were determined by the author of this review in consultation with the Working Group. The findings of this review will be triangulated with those from a broad stakeholder consultation (online survey) to inform potential future steps in menu labelling.The Physical Activity Nutrition & Obesity Research Group (PANORG) is part of the Prevention Research Collaboration in the School of Public Health, the University of Sydney. It undertakes policy relevant research to promote physical activity, nutrition and obesity prevention and is funded by the Centre for Population Health, NSW Ministry of Health

Complexities and subtleties in the measurement and reporting of breastfeeding practices

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Monitoring of breastfeeding is vital. However, infant feeding practices are difficult to assess at the population level. Although significant efforts have been made towards the consistent measurement and reporting of breastfeeding, few countries have successfully implemented a system to do so. Many inaccuracies, inconsistencies and issues remain. This paper highlights the main issues relating to the methods and indicators used to monitor breastfeeding, particularly exclusive breastfeeding, at the population level. In doing so, it aims to support progress in this area.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Indicators are used primarily for comparative purposes and should be broadly consistent with recommended practice; regarding exclusive breastfeeding this is 'to six months'. There are limitations to both main methods used to measure and report on breastfeeding: current status (often 24-hour recall), and longer-term recall. Issues relate to how age is considered within the analysis and interpretation of data, including boundary points or cut offs, as well as how breastfeeding practices are reported against different ages, especially regarding whether to use the preposition 'to' or 'at'. Other issues include the conversion from weeks to months, as well as the 'regular' <it>versus </it>'first' introduction of something other than breast milk, to signify the deviation from exclusive breastfeeding. Differences in how data are collected, and uncertainties around how data are interpreted, have led to the mixed and often inaccurate reporting of breastfeeding practices, particularly exclusive breastfeeding. Assuming a particular definition of exclusive breastfeeding, such as that of the World Health Organization, the period over which exclusive breastfeeding is measured and how it is determined in the survey are important in relation to indicator phrasing. Often compromises are made in data collected to report against exclusive breastfeeding, despite subsequent reporting of exclusivity.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>Indicators to report on breastfeeding must be carefully phrased. The commonly reported indicator <it>exclusive breastfeeding at six months </it>is redundant and should never be reported, while the more appropriate indicator <it>exclusive breastfeeding to six months </it>may not be sufficiently sensitive to change, and cannot be measured by current status methods alone. Importantly, indicators must accurately reflect the data collected to ensure valid comparisons between surveys.</p

Prevention of excessive gestational weight gain: an evidence review to inform policy and practice

This report was commissioned by the NSW Ministry of Health, Division of Population and Public Health, to support evidence-informed policy and planning with regard to obesity prevention in NSW. It provides an overview and summary of the evidence base regarding the prevention of excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG) and the promotion of appropriate GWG. It provides a rationale for taking action, indicates barriers to preventing EGWG, and critiques the interventions evidence. A substantial number of recommendations are made with respect to policy, practice and research in this area

Consumption of fruit and vegetables by children in Australia and NSW: Results from National Surveys in 1995 and 2007. Monitoring Update.

Fruit and vegetables provide multiple health benefits in children and adults, including a likely role in the prevention of excess weight gain. As such, the promotion of fruit and vegetables is included as a core component of policies and programs to promote healthy eating and reduce obesity. In order to ascertain the effectiveness of promotional efforts, it is important to measure and report on levels of consumption of fruit and vegetables over time. This brief report provides detailed information on the levels of consumption of fruit and vegetables among children aged 2‐16 years, in Australia and in NSW. Data are derived from the two most recent national dietary surveys, the 1995 National Nutrition Survey (1995 NNS) and the 2007 Australian National Children Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (2007 Survey). The national surveys use detailed 24‐hour recall methods, enabling amounts of fruit and vegetables consumed as well as numbers of serves consumed to be reported

Building solutions for prevneting childhood obesity. Overview module

The NSW Centre for Overweight and Obesity, the NSW Centre for Physical Activity & Health and the NSW Centre for Public Health Nutrition are funded by the NSW Department of Health and supported by The University of Sydney

Scoping review for the NSW Get Healthy@Work Organisational Support Service: a component of the NSW Healthy Workers Initiative

This review was commissioned by the NSW Office of Preventive Health to inform the ongoing development of the NSW Get Healthy@Work Organisational Support Service, as part of the NSW Healthy Workers Initiative. It is a rapid appraisal and synthesis of the literature for evidence regarding potential components of a support and facilitation service for workplace health promotion. Nb. Appendices presented as separate document for viewing concurrently with main report

Garden City: Multicultural Issues in Adult Education

Kansas adult education is faced with the growing challenge to prepare its programs for serving the needs of a socioculturally diverse student population. It is imperative that Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs develop effective learning techniques for multicultural student populations. These issues continue to be important topics for educators, administrators, and politicians

Obesity and chronic disease prevention among old adults (55-74 years): An evidence overview and framework to inform policy and practice

This document is an expansive report detailing the research evidence (to mid-2012) on the rationale, determinants and effective approaches to reduce the prevalence of obesity and chronic disease among community-dwelling older adults, aged 55-74 years. It is designed specifically to contribute to the planning of programs and interventions for obesity and chronic disease prevention in New South Wales, Australia. A summary version of this report can be found at http://hdl.handle.net/2123/9084 Specifically this report: • Examines the available epidemiological evidence on the weight status and obesity-related chronic disease risk profile of older adults in NSW • Considers the behaviours contributing to weight status and chronic disease in this age group • Presents a structured planning framework to identify potential points for intervention based on analysis of contributing factors • Examines the evidence around the effectiveness of potential interventions, considering the strengths, limitations and gaps within the evidence base • Proposes a portfolio of evidence-based and promising intervention approaches for the reduction of obesity and related chronic disease risk

Reducing the risk of chronic disease in older adults: A summary report to support obesity prevention planning in NSW.

This document is a summary of the information contained within a full report detailing the research evidence on the rationale, determinants and effective intervention approaches to reduce the prevalence of obesity and chronic disease among community-dwelling older adults, aged 55-74 years. It is designed specifically to contribute to the planning of programs and interventions for obesity and chronic disease prevention in NSW, Australia

Healthy Food Environment Scoping Review

This work was conducted at the request of the Centre for Population Health at the NSW Ministry of Health, to inform implementation of the relevant strategic direction of the NSW Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Strategy 2013–2018. It is not intended to be an exhaustive review but rather to provide an indication of the rationale for intervening and the potential effectiveness of a broad range of policy options. It is also intended to inform ongoing stakeholder consultation regarding action with respect to the food environment. This consultation will necessarily take account of other evidence of effectiveness including likely reach and population impact, as well as implementation issues such as sustainability of effects, feasibility, acceptability, equity, and other factors affectingplanning and investment decisions. It is noted that no single action contained within this evidence synthesis will in itself be sufficient to affect weight status substantially at the population level. A portfolio of interventions within the food environment, alongside action to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviours, is required to halt the progress of obesity and prevent chronic disease. This sentiment has been expressed many times previously but also recently in the McKinsey paper by Dobbs et al (November 2014) relating to an economic analysis for obesity prevention: “Existing evidence indicates that no single intervention is likely to have a significant overall impact. A systemic, sustained portfolio of initiatives, delivered at scale, is needed to reverse the health burden.” Similarly, no individual sector in society can address obesity acting on its own — neither governments, retailers, consumer-goods companies, restaurants, employers, media organisations, educators, healthcare providers, or individuals.Achieving the full potential impact requires engagement from as many sectors as possible. Ideally such actions would be contained within an overarching National Nutrition Policy in Australia. Finally, we would like to echo another sentiment of the McKinsey Global Institute discussion paper, that “… our analysis is by no means complete. Rather we see our work [on a potential program to address obesity] as the equivalent of the maps used by 16th-century navigators. Some islands were missing and some islands were misshapen in these maps, but they were helpful to the sailors of the era. We are sure that we have missed some interventions and over- or underestimated the impact of others. But we hope our work to be a useful guide….”The Physical Activity Nutrition and Obesity Research Group (PANORG) is funded by the Centre for Population Health, NSW Ministry of Health. It is part of the Prevention Research Collaboration in the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney