Multiple risk behaviours and interventions to reduce multiple risk behaviours – what do we know?

Lead investigator

Professor Amanda Sowden, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, University of York

Background

Modifiable risk behaviours such as smoking, excessive alcohol use, inactivity and poor nutrition contribute significantly to the global burden of disease. Promoting the uptake of healthy lifestyles is central to England’s public health strategy, which to date has largely been pursued through targeting individual risk behaviours. There is evidence to suggest that the majority of adults in England engage in multiple risk behaviours at the same time and that the clustering of unhealthy behaviours is socially patterned.

Aims, methods and contribution

This project aims to support public health policies to improve health by

investigating multiple risk behaviours (risk clusters), predictors of

risk clusters, interventions and intervention context for reducing risk

behaviours and experiences of making lifestyle changes. The project will

use systematic review methods to identify, appraise and synthesise

existing research evidence. The findings from the individual systematic

reviews will be brought together in an overall comparative synthesis,

allowing key policy questions to be answered.

Co-investigators

• Professor Hilary Graham, University of York
• Professor Mark Petticrew, LSHTM
• Professor Chris Power, UCL
• Professor Martin White, University of Cambridge

Duration: 01/09/2011 - 31/08/2014 (36 months)