Development of a Healthy Lifestyle Assessment Toolkit for the General Public

Abstract

The prevalence of age-related non-communicable chronic diseases has increased worldwide, being the leading causes of morbidity and death in many world regions, including in Europe. Innovative models and strategies focused on preventive care, including early identification of risk factors underlying disease onset and progression, and proper modification of lifestyle habits and behaviors, might contribute to promote quality of life, healthy living and active aging. Healthy Lifestyle Innovative Quarters for Cities and Citizens (HeaLIQs4cities) is an EIT Health-funded project aiming to engage, empower and educate citizens toward healthy lifestyles. One of the major objectives of this project was to develop a toolkit for a rapid and informal assessment of healthy lifestyles, to be used at different levels of care pathways, including in informal public environments. In this paper, we describe the methodology underlying the development of the toolkit, which resulted from the collaboration of an interdisciplinary focus group of academic experts, from medicine, sport sciences, psychology, health economics, and innovative technologies applied to health. The following eight components were included in the toolkit: (1) anthropometric assessment and cardiometabolic parameters; (2) physical activity and exercise; (3) well-being, social cohesion, and functional independence; (4) nutrition; (5) mental health; (6) smoking, drinking, and use of illicit substances; (7) sleep habits and quality; and (8) health and disease. A traffic light rating system indicating the risk score was used (low: green; moderate: yellow; and relevant: orange) for each of the 8 components, together with recommendations for the toolkit users. After completing the reduced version of the toolkit, individuals showing moderate or relevant risk in one or more of the 8 dimensions, were invited to participate in a more detailed assessment (toolkit long version), based on deeper and scientifically validated tools. The toolkit was incorporated in eVida, a web-based platform that focuses on delivering services to personalized health and well-being. The validation of the current toolkit has been applied in wide-ranging public events in three different European Regions. Large scale deployment of the toolkit is expected to profit from the Reference Site Collaborative Network of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Aging (EIP on AHA).

Not Able to Lead a Healthy Life When You Need It the Most: Dual Role of Lifestyle Behaviors in the Association of Blurred Work-Life Boundaries With Well-Being

“…Studies on lifestyle have extensively focused on (a combination of) sleep (e.g., Agarwal et al, 2020 ; Ingram et al, 2020 ), physical activity ( Griep et al, 2015 ; Larsson et al, 2019 ), nutrition ( Wu et al, 2016 ; Nishi et al, 2017 ), and psychosocial behaviors such as relaxation (e.g., Strijk et al, 2009 ; Van Scheppingen et al, 2015 ). These four factors are also included in assessment toolkits ( Reis et al, 2019 ) and guidelines for lifestyle ( Kanji et al, 2018 ).…”

WITHDRAWN: (Un)Healthy Lifestyles, Environment, Well-being and Health Capability in Rural Neighbourhoods: A Community-based Cross-sectional Study

“…2) took place in a mobile Healthy Living Room (mHLR) designed to reach isolated rural neighbourhoods with lower access to health awareness and facilities. The mHLR, was equipped with a healthy lifestyle assessment toolkit, incorporated in eVida technology previously validated by Reis et al [28], aiming to: 1) assess evidence-based data (e.g., BMI, waist circumference, illnesses or chronic diseases, medication, and sleep habits); 2) describe lifestyles (e.g., diet, physical activity, and self-assessment of health and well-being); 3) gather demographic information (i.e., gender, age, employment status and level of education); and 4) document the self-assessment of neighbourhood' satisfaction ( Fig. 2).…”

Unhealthy lifestyles, environment, well-being and health capability in rural neighbourhoods: a community-based cross-sectional study

“…However, we did cover a representative sample of rural populations in Portugal. The eVida has been designed to be user friendly and of almost immediate understanding to participants (10 to 20 min to complete) [ 27 ]. Although the eVida has been re-designed to record information about external environment factors, testimonies were mostly documented in writing and then transcribed.…”

“…Two local consolidation meetings with local representatives of the Terras de Sicó network and the research and innovation team, held in two municipalities, Penela (May 28, 2019) and Alvaiázere (June 11, 2019), created the bases of the CBPR approach, and a roadmap for local itineraries and local community engagement. Triangulation between local representatives and researchers regarding the CBPR approach contributed to: better characterizing the demography in the 15 neighbourhoods; co-designing the community program adapted to each neighbourhood; co-constructing a health communication strategy and tailored healthy lifestyles-related messages for older adults with limited literacy; discussing the theoretical background [14][15][16][17][18][19][20] and the QUAL+quan methodology connecting with a questionnaire [27] incorporated in pre-existing eVida technology [28]; and training volunteer students and young professionals to operationalize translational research and participatory approaches with community engagement in neighbourhoods. Local representatives collaborated actively in the dissemination of the program via national/regional media (i.e., newspapers, radio, television and flyers), social media (i.e., Facebook) and institutional websites (e.g., Sicó-network, municipalities, local stakeholders and university).…”

“…2), designed as a mobile community service, to reach isolated rural neighbourhoods with lower access to health care facilities and awareness about healthy lifestyles. The mHLR was equipped with a healthy lifestyle assessment toolkit, which comprises medical devices and a questionnaire [27] incorporated in eVida technology. eVida is a tabletbased application centred on the input of the questionnaires (as discussed in detail below), provides a personalized summary of putative health risks associated with individual characteristics and behaviours [28].…”