Effective Interventions for Healthcare Providers

Interventions demonstrated in published high-quality, peer-reviewed studies and evaluation reports to produce significant positive health or behavioral outcomes, and policy, environment, or economic impacts.

• Program name: Weight-Wise
  Change type: Individual
  Description: Behavioral weight management program to help women lose weight safely by moderately restricting calories, improving healthy eating behaviors, increasing physical activity, and self-monitoring behaviors. An adaptation of the Diabetes Prevention Program, which has strong evidence of effectiveness.
  Demonstrated Success
  • Audience tested: Low-income, midlife women who are overweight
  • Compared to controls, participants in intervention group lost an additional 9.5 pounds; over half lost 8 or more pounds
  • Lower cost per participant than Diabetes Prevention Program
• Program name: A New Leaf… Choices for Healthy Living
  Change type: Individual
  Description: Structured assessment and counseling tool emphasizing practical strategies for making changes in dietary and physical activity behaviors. Can be used to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and other chronic diseases.
  Demonstrated Success
  • Audiences tested: Low income, women, men, low literacy, Spanish speaking
  • In the literature since 1999, and precursor, Food for Heart, since 1992; Both tested in numerous randomized control trials
  • Increased fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity measured by self-report and accelerometer
• Program name: Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI)
  Change type: Individual; Policy, Systems, and Environmental (PSE)
  Description: Hospital policies and procedures to support optimal breastfeeding practices. Provides education materials, lactation support; breastfeeding support groups, peer counselor relationships, telephone support, written policies, and hospital staff trainings.
  Demonstrated Success
  • Audiences tested: Patients at Boston Medical Center (program implementation site). Predominantly low income, Black
  • Peer-reviewed articles examined effect on breastfeeding initiation and exclusivity, sustained breastfeeding initiation, and breastfeeding duration rates at six months of age
  • Positive outcomes found for all listed variables