Abstract
BackgroundSEA Change Portland is a systems-based approach implemented in Portland, Victoria that utilises local community resources to sustainably prevent and reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity. Action is implemented by community-led task teams with differing priority areas, and supported by a steering committee representative of four collaborating organisations. This study examines the SEA Change Portland process to identify significant events, enablers and barriers of its development and implementation to date as reported by key stakeholders involved in implementation during the first 12 months.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with eight steering group members and three community task team members. Data was collected utilising open ended interview questions to gather in-depth information regarding program implementation, and the individual attitudes, beliefs and experiences of key stakeholders.ResultsData were analysed under three key themes: collective impact, systems thinking and asset based community development (ABCD). Participants gave perceptions of significant events; factors positively and negatively affecting the process; reasons for becoming involved in the process; perceived efficacy of task teams, principles of diversity and areas of concern. Themes emerged from participant responses allowing were categorisation of their responses into four key process stages: initial lead up; process development; establishing community ownership of the obesity system; and community action.ConclusionCollective impact was a crucial element in applying the systems thinking. Strong and equitable relationships between steering organisations and topic experts provided the initiative with a sustainable foundation, and ABCD promotes community ownership and future sustainability. Understanding the process of implementing a new whole-of-community systems approach to childhood obesity prevention such as SEA Change Portland has provided vital knowledge for other communities regarding enablers and barriers of this promising approach.
Highlights
SEA Change Portland is a systems-based approach implemented in Portland, Victoria that utilises local community resources to sustainably prevent and reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity
This study presents an evaluation of the SEA Change Portland process in order to identify significant events, enablers and barriers of its development and implementation from commencement to the first 12 months of implementation as reported by the key stakeholders involved in implementation of this initiative
Factors affecting the SEA change Portland process Processes contributing to implementation of SEA Change Portland can be mostly attributed to the influence of collective impact in tackling the complex issue of obesity
Summary
SEA Change Portland is a systems-based approach implemented in Portland, Victoria that utilises local community resources to sustainably prevent and reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity. Key modifiable determinants of childhood obesity include feeding practices in early years, diet and physical activity [3]. Monitoring data collected across the region; which included the regional town, Portland, in the Glenelg Shire, Victoria, Australia; revealed higher than expected rates of children to be overweight or obese in some years by gender compared to the national average [4]. Obesity is a complex problem requiring intervention across multiple levels of society. The multifaceted nature of obesity requires a multi-strategy, community-led and participatory intervention that mobilises community assets across all levels of a system to illicit sustainable solutions [6]. Due to the depth and variety of key driving influences on obesity, traditional health promotion approaches are often not the best fit as they are without the advantages for dealing with complexity as are provided by systems science [7]
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