Title: Healthy Towns: Evaluation of the Healthy Community Challenge Fund
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: Background Reducing obesity prevalence is emerging as a key public health challenge in the UK and internationally. Recent major government reports have highlighted that tackling the ‘obesogenic’ environment, an environment that encourages excessive individual energy intake and discourages energy expenditure, may be important in improving diet quality and increasing physical activity levels in the UK. In response, the Department of Health and Cross-Government Obesity Unit has initiated the Health Community Challenge Fund (HCCF), a key element of the Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives strategy. The HCCF has been established to pilot, test and evaluate a series of social and environmental interventions aimed at tackling the ‘obesogenic’ environment in nine ‘Healthy Towns’ across England. Aims The overall aim of the project is to generate robust evidence on the implementation and impact of an area-based approach to tackling the 'obesogenic' environment in England. The project seeks to answer two questions. Firstly, in what community and organisational contexts can environmental interventions be successfully implemented? Secondly, what environmental interventions can increase physical activity and improve diet in residents of Healthy Towns (HT)? To do this we will undertake a process evaluation, develop a common evaluation framework and scope possible strategies to assess health impact. Project outputs will feed directly into obesity prevention policy and provide an opportunity to learn about the implementation and effectiveness of an environmental approach to tackling obesity. Plan of Investigation We will undertake a ‘realistic’ evaluation of the HCCF. First; we will develop a common evaluation framework in collaboration with stakeholders by generating a set of context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) configurations for each HT. Second; we will undertake a process evaluation (PE) in each HT using these CMO configurations. The PE will be longitudinal, using mixed qualitative and quantitative methods. Fieldwork will consist of documentary analysis, workshops, stakeholder interviews and participant and implementation observation. Data will be collected twice, at 12 month intervals, in each HT. Third; we will scope possible strategies for impact assessment by investigating the feasibility of finding, accessing and using existing data and/or the design of new primary data collection. Potential Impact The work produced will be of direct relevance to the Department of Health, Cross Government Obesity Unit, Healthy Towns, Local Authorities, Primary Care Trusts and other agencies such as Natural England, DCLG, CABE, RIBA and RTPI with an interest in health and the built environment. Evidence will be generated on best practice of implementation of environmental interventions, the types of organisational and contextual factors required to be successful and which interventions can be successfully implemented and might work. This evidence will provide the basis for specific outcome evaluations in the nine HTs, and successful translation to other urban areas, providing a model for the development of future 'Healthy Towns'.


Research activity codes: 3.1 PRIMARY PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS TO MODIFY BEHAVIOURS OR PROMOTE WELL-BEING
Health categories: MENTAL HEALTH