title: Non-pharmacological interventions designed to reduce health risks due to unhealthy eating behaviour and linked risky or excessive drinking in adults aged 18-25 years: a systematic review protocol.
abstract: Excess body weight and heavy alcohol consumption are two of the greatest contributors to global disease. Alcohol use peaks in early adulthood. Alcohol consumption can also exacerbate weight gain. A high body mass index and heavy drinking are independently associated with liver disease but, in combination, they produce an intensified risk of damage, with individuals from lower socio-economic status groups disproportionately affected.
  
  
  
  We will conduct searches in MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO, ERIC, ASSIA, Web of Knowledge (WoK), Scopus, CINAHL via EBSCO, LILACS, CENTRAL and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses for studies that assess targeted preventative interventions of any length of time or duration of follow-up that are focused on reducing unhealthy eating behaviour and linked risky alcohol use in 18-25-year-olds. Primary outcomes will be reported changes in: (1) dietary, nutritional or energy intake and (2) alcohol consumption. We will include all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) including cluster RCTs; randomised trials; non-randomised controlled trials; interrupted time series; quasi-experimental; cohort involving concurrent or historical controls and controlled before and after studies. Database searches will be supplemented with searches of Google Scholar, hand searches of key journals and backward and forward citation searches of reference lists of identified papers. Search records will be independently screened by two researchers, with full-text copies of potentially relevant papers retrieved for in-depth review against the inclusion criteria. Methodological quality of RCTs will be evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Other study designs will be evaluated using the Cochrane Public Health Review Group's recommended Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. Studies will be pooled by meta-analysis and/or narrative synthesis as appropriate for the nature of the data retrieved.
  
  
  
  It is anticipated that exploration of intervention effectiveness and characteristics (including theory base, behaviour change technique; modality, delivery agent(s) and training of intervention deliverers, including their professional status; and frequency/duration of exposure) will aid subsequent co-design and piloting of a future intervention to help reduce health risk and social inequalities due to excess weight gain and alcohol consumption.
  
  
  
  PROSPERO CRD42016040128 .
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health & Society, Baddiley-Clark Building, Newcastle University, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, UK. steph.scott@ncl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health & Society, Baddiley-Clark Building, Newcastle University, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, UK.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Parkinson
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health & Society, Baddiley-Clark Building, Newcastle University, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, UK.
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kaner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health & Society, Baddiley-Clark Building, Newcastle University, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, UK.
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Robalino
authors.affiliation: Institute for Social Marketing (ISM), University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK.
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stead
authors.affiliation: Population, Policy and Practice, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Power
authors.affiliation: Institute for Social Marketing (ISM), University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK.
authors.forename: Niamh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health & Society, Baddiley-Clark Building, Newcastle University, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, UK.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wrieden
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health & Society, Baddiley-Clark Building, Newcastle University, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, UK.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adamson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D000078202:Systematic Reviews as Topic; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol; Eating behaviour; Intervention; Systematic review; Young adult