Netherlands research programme weight gain prevention (NHF-NRG): rationale, objectives and strategies.

OBJECTIVE

To outline the rationale, objectives and strategies used in a systematically designed research programmme to study specific weight gain-inducing behaviours, their social-psychological as well as environmental determinants, and the effects of interventions aimed at the prevention of weight gain.

DESIGN

The evidence for potential behavioural determinants and strategies to prevent weight gain was reviewed, and the methods applied within the Netherlands Research programme weight gain prevention (NHF-NRG) project were described. The project is designed according to the Intervention Mapping protocol.

SETTING

The Netherlands.

SUBJECTS

The main target groups are (a) adolescents (12-16 y) in secondary school, (b) young adults (20-40 y) at the workplace and (c) recently retired people (55-65 y) at home.

INTERVENTIONS

Each intervention includes an individual component, in which computer-tailored information is provided. Additionally, interventions are aimed at changing environmental components.

RESULTS

The short-term results of this project can be expected by the beginning of 2005. Guidelines for nationwide weight gain prevention, based on this research programme, will become available in 2007.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the few interventions that were evaluated to date, no robust conclusions can be drawn regarding the effectiveness of obesity prevention. The systematic and multidisciplinary design of the NHF-NRG programme enables the identification of potentially effective methods and strategies for the prevention of weight gain.