Health promotion beyond borders and across sectors: transferring and implementing good practices

Chronic diseases are a leading cause of disability and death, with many modifiable risk factors like diet and physical activity. Workplaces are crucial settings for promoting health. In 2016, the European Joint Action Crodi selected the Lombardy workplace health promotion network as a good practice. Following this model, Andalusia began a pilot implementation in 2019 in two organizations in Granada. The intervention involved situation analysis, regulatory compliance, pre/post implementation analysis, health promotion actions, and a certification system. Initial results showed increased physical activity, fruit/vegetable intake, and reduced sugary product consumption among participants. Andalusia continues to scale up this program, aiming to reach over 200 organizations and 7,000 employees.

The Active Flag program, originating from Ireland, is being successfully introduced to schools in Turin, Italy. Inspired by Irish teachers and principals, Italian educators like Susanna and Patricia enthusiastically brought the concept of active breaks to their schools. Teachers have observed that these active breaks lead to more energized classes and improved concentration and focus among students, a finding consistent with Irish experiences.

The Janus Health Promotion program, a multimodal training intervention for successful aging, was implemented in Lithuania and Spain through the Crotis Plus program, based on the Icelandic model. Teams from Lithuania and Spain visited Iceland for training and ongoing support. The intervention tracks approximately 30 variables related to physical attributes, mental health, and quality of life. After two years in Iceland and one year in Lithuania and Spain, all variables showed positive, statistically significant improvements, demonstrating the intervention's effectiveness across different countries in battling chronic disease.

Iceland's Health Promoting Community Program, developed over several years, aims to systematically support communities in creating environments that promote healthy lifestyles and well-being. This program is heavily inspired by the Dutch JOGG (Jongeren Op Gezond Gewicht - Youth in Healthy Weight) program, which focuses on reshaping the environment for youth using a community-based approach. JOGG operates in 146 municipalities in the Netherlands, collaborating with public, private, and academic sectors to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce childhood overweight, reaching over a million children. The Icelandic program has addressed challenges by framing its work within governmental priorities and establishing a high-level steering group, and has adapted JOGG materials for local use.

Key takeaways from these implementations include: the critical role of support from good practice owners, the benefit of aligning programs with governmental priorities, the time and effort required to establish effective structures, the need for practical and flexible approaches, and the significant positive impact of European projects like Crotis Plus in fostering these connections and documented successes.