Research makes Bornholm healthier · 18. July 2011

Backed by Nordea-fonden with app. DKK 8.5 mill, an interdisciplinary research group with participants from MENU at AAU-Cph, Steno Health Promotion Centre and Research Centre for Prevention and Health (RCPH) will undertake a four year health promotion project in cooperation with government institutions, local media, associations, corporations and citizens at Bornholm.

The researchers combines the strenghts of the so-called Action Research with the strenghts of the controlled evaluation design and intervenes through day care institutions, schools, associations, supermarkets as well as through the media.

Bornholm welcomes the researchers

Almost 50 percent of the population at Bornholm are overweight, and generally have trouble following the recommendations from the National Board of Health. That is way the Chairman of Bornholms Regional Municipality’s Committee on Leisure, Culture and Preventaion rejoice over the financial support and the general support for a project that might turn a new page for the Island community.

‘We are in the more backward part, when you look at the statistics on health. It is a focal point in our political work, and vi already have a few minor projects taking place in gyms, schools and day care institutions. Men this project is in an entirely different scale and with many more stakeholders. Hence, we are exited and look forward to getting starter, says Committee Chairman Bjarne Kristiansen.

A healthier life for families with children is the title of the project, that will look into, how the supply of food in our local environment affects us, and how it is possible with small steps to decrease the barriers for a healthier life for citizens of Bornholm. Among others, several supermarket chanins are participating in the project, that will look into the organization and furnishing of the individual store and possible also the prices.

- Our choice of food is affected by so many different factors in our immediate environment, which influence our health, says Professor at AAU-Cph Bent Egberg Mikkelsen from the research group MENU.

-That is why it is important, that we have concrete knowledge of what works and what does not work – not least, to save us from spending public funds on useless interventions. Research like thir can help guarantee that.

The health promotion interventions of the future

- Nordea-fonden supports the project because we hope, that it will provide new knowledge. Ny knowledge on how we as a community creates healthier food habits and exercise more to promote health and well-being among the families with children at Bornholm. Many people at Bornholm wishes to lead a healthier life, and that is a super foundation for the project. Hopefully, the project will inspire citizens in other municipalities to adopt a healthier lifestyle, says Head of Secretariat Ulla Björnsson from Nordea-fonden. Nordea-fonden supports the project with DKK 8.5 mill. The entire budget for the project is DKK 12.3 mill.

Combines three strategies

As a new step the project combines the three types of stratigies typically used in health promotion interventions: Mass Strategy, where the general population are affected through the media; Environmental or Structural Strategy, where the organization and structures of our immediate environment are changed; and the Familiy or Individual Oriented Strategy, that addresses the individual family, teacher or other individuals. The hope is to create synergies between the different activities in the intervention and hence maximize the effect of the individual activity.

Citizen involvement and wide-ranging cooperation

Besides adressing several levels at the same time, the project also intends to test a new approach to health promoation , which is participatory, integrated an contextual. The different activities in the project will be developed on an ongoing basis in dialogue with the citizens, public administrators and other local stakeholders such as associations and corporations. The following stakeholders have already expressed a will to participate in the project.

• Municipality: Bornholm Regionskommune (inklusive udvalgte forvaltninger og institutioner),
• Hospital: Bornholm Sygehus,
• Retailers: (incl. COOP, Super Best and Netto)
• Hjerteforeningen (Health NGO, heart diseases)
• Kræftens Bekæmpelse (Health NGO, Cancer)
• Lokal Aktionsgruppe Bornholm (LAG-Bornholm) (NGO)
• Local dealers association
• Municipality:Odsherred Kommune
• Media: TV2 Bornholm

For more information contact

Professor Bent Egberg Mikkelsen, Aalborg University Copenhagen, T: (+45) 9940 2556

Bornholm facts

• 50 % weight
• 79 % expresses a desire to adopt healthier habits
• 15,2 % unemployed
• 45,6 % with no higher education
• Average annual income DKK 226,700.

Source: Region Hovedstadens Sundhedsprofilundersøgelse 2010

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