title: Design of CIAO, a research program to support the development of an integrated approach to prevent overweight and obesity in the Netherlands.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this paper is to describe the research aims, concepts and methods of the research Consortium Integrated Approach of Overweight (CIAO). CIAO is a concerted action of five Academic Collaborative Centres, local collaborations between academic institutions, regional public health services, local authorities and other relevant sectors in the Netherlands. Prior research revealed lacunas in knowledge of and skills related to five elements of the integrated approach of overweight prevention in children (based upon the French EPODE approach), namely political support, parental education, implementation, social marketing and evaluation. CIAO aims to gain theoretical and practical insight of these elements through five sub-studies and to develop, based on these data, a framework for monitoring and evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  For this research program, mixed methods are used in all the five sub-studies. First, problem specification through literature research and consultation of stakeholders, experts, health promotion specialists, parents and policy makers will be carried out. Based on this information, models, theoretical frameworks and practical instruments will be developed, tested and evaluated in the communities that implement the integrated approach to prevent overweight in children. Knowledge obtained from these studies and insights from experts and stakeholders will be combined to create an evaluation framework to evaluate the integrated approach at central, local and individual levels that will be applicable to daily practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This innovative research program stimulates sub-studies to collaborate with local stakeholders and to share and integrate their knowledge, methodology and results. Therefore, the output of this program (both knowledge and practical tools) will be matched and form building blocks of a blueprint for a local evidence- and practice-based integrated approach towards prevention of overweight in children. The output will then support various communities to further optimize the implementation and subsequently the effects of this approach.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Institute of Health Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marije Tm
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: van Koperen
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health & Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Centre, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rianne Mjj
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: van der Kleij
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Institute of Health Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Carry Cm
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Renders
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health & Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Centre, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Matty Mr
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Crone
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences, University Maastricht, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anna-Marie Am
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hendriks
authors.affiliation: Caphri research School for Public Health and Primary care, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maria M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.affiliation: Public Health, Erasmus University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Vivian Vm
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: van de Gaar
authors.affiliation: Erasmus University Medical Center, child and adolescent public health, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hein Jh
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Raat
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary and Community Care, Academic Collaborative Center AMPHI Integrated Health Policy, Radboud University Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Emilie Elm
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Ruiter
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary and Community Care, Academic Collaborative Center AMPHI Integrated Health Policy, Radboud University Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gerard Grm
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Molleman
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), PO Box 1 3720, BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jantine Aj
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Schuit
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Institute of Health Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jacob Jc
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Seidell
keywords: Community; Evaluation framework; Implementation; Integrated approach; Overweight; Parenting; Political support; Social marketing