Implementing the North Karelia Project in Scotland.

A comprehensive, determined and theory-based community programme can have a meaningful and positive effect on risk factors and life styles. In much the same way as the North Karelia Project was rolled out to cover the whole of Finland, there is no reason why our intervention schemes could not be rolled out to cover the whole of Scotland. The North Karelia Project proved that a major national demonstration programme can be a strong tool for favourable national development in chronic disease prevention and health promotion.