title: Effectiveness of Australia's Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service®: translational research with population wide impact.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  With increasing rates of non-communicable disease, there is a need for implementing population-wide, evidence-based interventions for improving behavioural risk factors. Telephone-based interventions provide one option. This study reports on the evaluation of the Australia's Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service®, to improve lifestyle behaviours, amongst a population-wide sample who completed the 6-month coaching programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a pre-post design, New South Wales participants who completed telephone-based coaching between February 2009 and December 2011 were included. Outcomes comprised self-reported weight, waist circumference, height, physical activity and dietary behaviours. Matched pair analyses and multivariate modelling were performed to assess behavioural changes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants (n=1440) reported statistically significant improvements in weight (-3.9 kg (5.1)); waist circumference (-5.0 cm (6.0)); and Body Mass Index (-1.4 BMI units (1.8)); number of walking and moderate-vigorous physical activity sessions of ≥30 min per week; number of vigorous physical activity sessions of ≥20 min per week and servings of vegetables; fruit; take-away meals and sweetened drinks (all p<0.001). Improvements in weight, waist, moderate physical activity, fruit and vegetable and take-away meals consumption remained significant after adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results support the effectiveness of replicating an evidence-based intervention in improving population risk factors for chronic disease.
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Medical Foundation Building K25, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. Electronic address: blythe.ohara@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Blythe J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: O'Hara
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Medical Foundation Building K25, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Philayrath
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Phongsavan
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Medical Foundation Building K25, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Kamalesh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Venugopal
authors.affiliation: Cancer Prevention Research Centre, University of Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Eakin
authors.affiliation: Cancer Institute, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Dianne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eggins
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Medical Foundation Building K25, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Hugh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Caterson
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Medical Foundation Building K25, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Dietetics, Public Health, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Allman-Farinelli
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, University of Technology, Australia.
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Medical Foundation Building K25, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Adrian E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Bauman
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical