Evaluation of the population-level impacts of the LiveLighter® obesity prevention campaign from 2012 to 2019 based on serial cross-sectional surveys.

BACKGROUND: Halting and reversing the upward trend in obesity requires sustained implementation of comprehensive, evidence-based strategies at the population-level. The LiveLighter® program targets adults using a range of public education strategies, including mass media campaigns, to support healthy lifestyle changes to attain or maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of chronic disease. LiveLighter® has been implemented in Western Australia (WA) since 2012 and, to our knowledge, includes the longest running adult-targeted mass media campaign for healthy weight and lifestyle promotion and education globally. This evaluation assessed the impact of LiveLighter® on WA adults' knowledge, intentions and behaviours as they relate to healthy eating and body weight from 2012 to 2019. METHODS: LiveLighter® mass media campaigns, which are TV-led and aired statewide, depict genuine, graphic imagery of visceral fat around internal organs to raise awareness about the link between excess body weight and chronic diseases; demonstrate how unhealthy food and drink consumption can contribute to unhealthy weight gain; and recommend healthy alternatives. Cross-sectional telephone surveys were conducted at baseline and following each campaign phase with an independent, randomly selected sample of WA adults aged 25 to 49 years (n = 501 to n = 1504 per survey) to assess their knowledge of the link between excess body weight and chronic diseases, and their intentions and behaviours related to healthy eating and weight. Multivariable logistic regression models were undertaken to assess differences in responses between baseline and each post-campaign survey. RESULTS: Compared to baseline, there were significant increases in the proportion of respondents reporting knowledge of excess body weight as a risk factor for certain cancers and type 2 diabetes, intentions to eat more fruit and vegetables and drink less sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) in the next seven days, and the proportion of respondents who reported meeting guidelines for daily vegetable intake. Reported consumption of SSBs significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS: LiveLighter® is associated with improvements in knowledge of the health risks associated with excess body mass, increased vegetable intake and reduced SSB consumption in WA adults. These findings support the use of sustained, well-designed healthy lifestyle promotion and education programs as part of a comprehensive obesity prevention strategy.

Optimising the expansion of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the impact of various expansion scenarios of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) on the number of bowel cancer deaths prevented; and to investigate the impact of the expansion scenarios on colonoscopy demand. DESIGN: MISCAN-Colon, a well established, validated computer simulation model for bowel cancer screening, was adjusted to reflect the Australian situation. In July 2013, we simulated the effects of screening over a 50-year period, starting in 2006. The model parameters included rates of participation in screening and follow-up, rates of identification of cancerous and precancerous lesions, bowel cancer incidence, mortality and the outcomes of the NBCSP. Five implementation scenarios, based on biennial screening using an immunochemical faecal occult blood test, were developed and modelled. A sensitivity analysis that increased screening participation to 60% was also conducted. PARTICIPANTS: Australian residents aged 50 to 74 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comparison of the impact of five implementation scenarios on the number of bowel cancer deaths prevented and demand for colonoscopy. RESULTS: MISCAN-Colon calculated that in its current state, the NBCSP should prevent 35 169 bowel cancer deaths in the coming 40 years. Accelerating the expansion of the program to achieve biennial screening by 2020 would prevent more than 70 000 deaths. If complete implementation of biennial screening results in a corresponding increase in participation to 60%, the number of deaths prevented will increase across all scenarios. CONCLUSIONS: The findings strongly support the need for rapid implementation of the NBCSP. Compared with the current situation, achieving biennial screening by 2020 could result in 100% more bowel cancer deaths (about 35 000) being prevented in the coming 40 years.

Office-based physical activity and nutrition intervention: barriers, enablers, and preferred strategies for workplace obesity prevention, Perth, Western Australia, 2012.

INTRODUCTION: Workplace health promotion programs to prevent overweight and obesity in office-based employees should be evidence-based and comprehensive and should consider behavioral, social, organizational, and environmental factors. The objective of this study was to identify barriers to and enablers of physical activity and nutrition as well as intervention strategies for health promotion in office-based workplaces in the Perth, Western Australia, metropolitan area in 2012. METHODS: We conducted an online survey of 111 employees from 55 organizations. The online survey investigated demographics, individual and workplace characteristics, barriers and enablers, intervention-strategy preferences, and physical activity and nutrition behaviors. We used χ(2) and Mann-Whitney U statistics to test for differences between age and sex groups for barriers and enablers, intervention-strategy preferences, and physical activity and nutrition behaviors. Stepwise multiple regression analysis determined factors that affect physical activity and nutrition behaviors. RESULTS: We identified several factors that affected physical activity and nutrition behaviors, including the most common barriers ("too tired" and "access to unhealthy food") and enablers ("enjoy physical activity" and "nutrition knowledge"). Intervention-strategy preferences demonstrated employee support for health promotion in the workplace. CONCLUSION: The findings provide useful insights into employees' preferences for interventions; they can be used to develop comprehensive programs for evidence-based workplace health promotion that consider environmental and policy influences as well as the individual.

Beliefs about bowel cancer among the target group for the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program in Australia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess awareness of and intentions and self-reported participation in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) in Australia and the program's impact on knowledge of and beliefs about bowel cancer. METHOD: Cross-sectional, computer-assisted telephone surveys of Western Australians aged 55-74 years conducted in April 2007 (n = 505) and June 2008 (n = 500) measured beliefs about the prevalence of bowel cancer, its preventability, impact of early detection on life expectancy, knowledge of the symptoms and tests for bowel cancer, and awareness of and participation in the NBCSP. RESULTS: In 2008, awareness of the Program was 58%. Seventy-seven per cent of those invited to participate in the program agreed to do so. The vast majority believed bowel cancer to be preventable (83%), with early treatment making 'a great deal of difference' to life expectancy (85%). Awareness of blood in faeces as a sign of bowel cancer increased from 64% in 2007 to 75% in 2008 (p<0.01). Awareness of FOBT as a test for bowel cancer increased from 54% in 2007 to 70% in 2008 (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The NBCSP appears to have increased knowledge of bowel cancer. IMPLICATIONS: Education and screening campaigns are required to further increase perceived prevalence of bowel cancer and to increase knowledge of symptoms and risk factors.