Background: Increasing physical activity is important in the promotion of better health. Computer-tailored behavior change programs have shown promise in changing lifestyle risk factors.

Improving dietary behaviours such as increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and reducing saturated fat intake are important in the promotion of better health. Computer tailoring has shown promise as a strategy to promote such behaviours. A narrative systematic review was conducted to describe the available evidence on ‘second’-generation computer-tailored primary prevention interventions for dietary behaviour change and to determine their effectiveness and key characteristics of success. Systematic literature searches were conducted through five databases: Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL and All EBM Reviews and by examining the reference lists of relevant articles to identify studies published in English from January 1996 to 2008. Randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental designs with pre-test and post-test behavioural outcome data were included. A total of 13 articles were reviewed, describing the evaluation of 12 interventions, seven of which found significant positive effects of the computer-tailored interventions for dietary behaviour outcomes, one also for weight reduction outcomes. Although the evidence of short-term efficacy for computer-tailored dietary behaviour change interventions is fairly strong, the uncertainty lies in whether the reported effects are generalizable and sustained long term. Further research is required to address these limitations of the evidence.

The objective of this study was to investigate the extent and nature of food advertising during Australian children's television (TV) viewing hours and programs, and to determine whether confectionery and fast food restaurant advertisements were more likely to be broadcast during children's programs than during adults' programs on Sydney television stations. One week (390 h) of Australian advertising data broadcast during children's TV viewing hours over 15 television stations were analysed to determine the proportion of food advertisements and, in turn, the proportion of those advertisements promoting foods high in fat and/or sugar. One week (346 h) of confectionery and fast food restaurant advertisements broadcast over three Sydney television stations were analysed to determine whether these types of advertisements were more likely to be advertised during children's programs than adults' programs. Half of all food advertisements promoted foods high in fat and/or sugar. 'Confectionery' and 'fast food restaurants' were the most advertised food categories during children's TV viewing hours. Confectionery advertisements were three times as likely, and fast food restaurant advertisements twice as likely, to be broadcast during children's programs than adults' programs. It can be concluded that foods most advertised during children's viewing hours are not those foods that contribute to a healthy diet for children. Confectionery and fast food restaurant advertising appears to target children. Australian children need protection from the targeted promotion of unhealthy foods on television, but currently little exists.

No abstract

The evidence of effectiveness for computer-tailored primary prevention interventions for weight reduction is limited to a small number of heterogeneous studies. There is uncertainty whether reported effects are generalisable and sustained. The relative success of different components of efficacious interventions and the optimal intervention intensity and tailoring methods are unclear.

There were 12 participants and the response rate to the questionnaire was 100%. After the training session, 83% of participants felt able to apply Epi Info to a foodborne disease outbreak investigation. The participants reported an increase in their confidence in developing a questionnaire using Epi Info, entering

The HIA provided a useful framework for establishing a collaborative relationship between the local government and health sector. It improved the local government's understanding of the inter-relationship between the environment and physical activity and social cohesion and enabled health authorities to have an impact on a capital works program to maximise health gain.

We identified an increase in the number of cases of Salmonella Typhimurium phage type 197 in New South Wales in February 2005. Cases were predominantly of Lebanese descent. To identify risk factors for illness, we conducted an unmatched case-control study including 12 cases and 21 controls. Eight of 12 cases (67%) and no controls reported eating lambs' liver (OR incalculable, P<0.05), and seven of nine cases (78%) and one of 21 controls (5%) reported eating fresh fish (OR 70.0, P<0.05). Among participants who did not eat liver, there was a strong association between eating fish and illness (OR 60.0, P<0.05). The fish was from divergent sources. Five cases had bought the liver from two different butcher's shops, which obtained the lambs' liver from a single abattoir. Consumption of liver is a risk for salmonellosis. Traditional dishes may place some ethnic groups at increased risk of foodborne disease.