What to Measure to Show Impact

Evaluation designs should define and measure the reach, strength, and dose of obesity prevention and treatment interventions. Including these components will help contribute to the evidence base for policy, system, and environmental change strategies that work in rural communities.

• Reach
  Measured by how many people in a community are exposed to a particular strategy; For example, if 1,000 people begin using new bike lanes on a highway in a city of 10,000 people, the calculated reach is 10%.
• Strength
  Measured by the percentage improvement, from baseline, in day-to-day lifestyle changes that increase activity or improve diet.
• Population dose
  Degree of change taking place in the population, measured by the reach plus the strength of the intervention.

Resources to Learn More

The Kaiser Permanente Community Health Initiative: Overview and Evaluation Design
Author(s): Cheadle, A., Schwartz, P., Rauzon, S., et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 100(11), 2111-2113
Date: 11/2010

Approaches to Measuring the Extent and Impact of Environmental Change in Three California Community-Level Obesity Prevention Initiatives
Author(s): Cheadle, A., Samuels, S., Rauzon, S., et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 100(11)
Date: 11/2010