Table 2 Activities to promote health and prevent obesity and their main targets in the municipal administrative sectors during the period 2009–2016
Administrative sector | Activities according to main targets |
|---|---|
Management | Physical activity - Investments in PA-promoting environments Obesity prevention - Was included in Seinäjoki city strategy - Implementation of the city Overcoming Obesity Program 2013–2020 Health and/or well-being - Was included in Seinäjoki city strategy - Director of Health Promotion (2009–2015)a)/Health promotion coordinator (2016)a) - Objectives developed in accordance with the National Health Policy Program, and based on the Health in All Policies approach, with special emphasis on children’s health [41] - The mayor and the health promotion management group as supporters of the sector-wise work - Collaboration with NGOs and regular meetings between those working with families with children - Strong commitment of the administrative sectors - Auditing: yearly health overview document, i.e., the Electronic Health and Welfare Report, a nationally developed and obligatory evaluation and planning document [42] to support knowledge management, strategic work, and decision-making in municipalities [43]; surveys among school children - Membership of the Director of Health Promotion in a national health promotion working group led by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs (support to the work in a municipality) |
Primary health care | Healthy eating - Dietary advice with dental care Obesity prevention - Early intervention and support in healthy lifestyles of children and families - Systematic monitoring of children’s growth - Yearly weight and height reports on the child population - Implementation of the systematically used “Smart Family Method”, which includes a self-assessment tool for families and a motivational interview tool to be used by the professionals [44] - A Child’s and Adolescent’s Weight Path tool for children at risk of obesity [36] Health and/or well-being - Preventive services in maternal and child health clinics and in schools - Early support to families in their abilities to promote their children’s healthy development - Systematic monitoring of child health and development during pregnancy (home visits by a nurse) and school age [45] - The “Pilari” [The Pillar] support service for guidance on health and psychosocial problems of children, youth, and families [46] |
Early childhood education and care | Physical activity - Construction of PA-friendly and inspiring courtyards and interiors, in collaboration with the technical services - Guidance towards including PA as a natural part of the children’s daily life - Introduction of the “Ilo kasvaa liikkuen” [Joy Grows through Motion] program [47] - PA messengers circulating in the day-care centers to distribute information and new ideas - Involvement of families in PA together with their children - Raising awareness about children’s national PA recommendations [48] - Advice given to private childminders Healthy eating - Three nutritionally balanced [49] and heart-friendly meals (The Heart Symbol of the Finnish Heart Association (https://www.sydanmerkki.fi/en/)) during full-time childcare - Day-care centers became dessert-free (no sweets, biscuits, potato chips, juice) - Theme weeks for learning HE (e.g., the “Kaappaa kasvis!” [Grab the Veggie!] campaign [50] - Participation in the meal committee together with the mass catering services - Advice given to private childminders Health and/or well-being - Comprehensive promotion of the children’s development, overall well-being, and learning [51] |
Schools | Physical activity - Implementation of the “Finnish Schools on the Move programme” [52] to embed PA as an elementary part of daily life - Construction of PA friendly courtyards and interiors in collaboration with the technical services - Availability of both indoor and outdoor equipment for games and play - Acquisition of new type of furniture (standing desks, etc.) to counteract too much sitting - Breaks from lessons for gymnastics (older pupils trained to act as peer sports instructors) - Restructuring of school days to have a longer break for PA (provided also by agencies outside the school; e.g. the Adult Education Center, congregations) - PA theme days and events (also with families) - PA-weighted curriculum. PA Academy in collaboration with the Kuortane Olympic Training Center (https://epuburheiluakatemia.fi/oppilaitokset/)b) - A teacher as a PA coordinator (one day weekly, in collaboration and the cost shared with the sports services) - Multisectoral teams and teacher collaboration to share ideas - Bicycles provided for studentsb) - Parents’ association used for communicating about PA opportunitiesb) Healthy eating - Nutritionally balanced [49], heart-friendly meals (The Heart Symbol of the Finnish Heart Association (https://www.sydanmerkki.fi/en/)) - Participation in the meal committee together with the mass catering services - A principle of tasting everything and the observation of portion sizes by the teachers and mass catering personnel - Energy drinks banned in schools Health and/or well-being - Restructuring of school days to have a longer break to be used for hobbies (also other than PA, provided also by agencies outside the school, e.g., the Adult Education Center, congregations) - Handbook on well-being available (also describing how to combine PA with cultural experiences) - Nomination of some pupils “responsible for” well-being in classesb) - Adding to the sensitivity of the community for early detection and multiprofessional (teachers, student welfare services, school social workers, school nurses, other primary health care professionals) intervention in students’ problems - Hiring of a professional youth worker called “school coach” |
Sports services | Physical activity - Investments in sports areas, premises, and activities (playgrounds, winter sports areas, jogging tracks, sports halls, etc.) - Investments in hiring PA instructors and financial support to sports clubs - Swimming schools for children, parents, and other adults - Introduction of new forms of PA - Active communication about opportunities for PA to the public - Adapted and targeted possibilities offered for special groups (e.g., children with asthma) - Collaboration with the Adult Education Center in the organization of PA groups and events - Organization of PA events for children and families - A guidebook prepared for the public on opportunities for PA (and healthy lifestyles) Health and/or well-being - A guidebook prepared for the public on opportunities for (PA and) healthy lifestyles |
Technical services | Physical activity - Planning, building, and maintenance of PA promoting and attractive areas (jogging tracks, parks, playgrounds, schoolyards, etc.) in collaboration with several other sectors and NGOs - Construction of routes for light traffic (walking, cycling, etc.) - Construction of the new plan for the city center to add to PA (and well-being) among the public Health and/or well-being - Construction of the new plan for the city center to add to (PA and) well-being among the public |
Mass catering services | Healthy eating - National nutritional recommendations [49] followed for food preparation at early childhood education centers and schools - The recipes and foodstuff complying with the criteria of The Heart Symbol of the Finnish Heart Association (https://www.sydanmerkki.fi/en/) and the consideration of sugar and fiber contents - Less sugar in snacks, spices to compensate the reduced salt amount - Participation in dessert-free early childhood education and care - Staff training (e.g., Bachelor’s degree in Food and Hospitality) - Feedback collected about meals and observation of meals at schools - Participation in collaborative meal committees |