Fast economic development, sedentary lifestyles and an abundance of food supply have resulted in high prevalence of obesity and diabetes in China. Unfortunately, the risk associated with physical inactivity and obesity has not yet been perceived by the general population. During the last 3 years, the project partner has been implementing a project (WDF05-108) aiming at promoting healthy lifestyles and creating awareness of diabetes and its risk factors in the Chinese city of Qingdao. Yet, in order to bring about a significant and important breakthrough in the attitude of health policy makers and the general public it is necessary to extend the project intervention period for another 3 years. The project aims at promoting healthy living through diet and physical activity advice to high risk groups and the general population of Qingdao, China. It is an extension of the WDF funded primary prevention project WDF05-108.
The second phase of the Qingdao primary prevention project is divided into two major components: • The extension of the previous prevention project (WDF05-108) • Evaluation of the project interventions to assess outcomes and impact The first component continues the lifestyle intervention activities to prevent diabetes implemented under the WDF funded project WDF05-108. The project has reached a critical stage and if further action is taken, a significant breakthrough in the attitude of health policy makers and the general public is expected. This component will focus on incorporating the prevention theme into the government's health care agenda institutionally and financially. At the same time the framework established during the previous project will be strengthened and emphasis will be placed on the importance of advocating healthy lifestyles. It is estimated that 1.94 million people will be exposed to the health promotion advocating healthy lifestyles. Apart from continuing the on-going work of the previous project, this project will also emphasise intervention activities aimed at reducing the occurrence of diabetes in high-risk populations. Counselling sessions on healthy lifestyles will be given to approximately 459,917 people at high-risk of diabetes. Moreover, prevention activities will also include passing on relevant information to 385,769 school children and adolescents and ensuring improved care to 176,458 people with diabetes in order to prevent diabetes and its complications. The second component constitutes an evaluation aimed at assessing the impact and cost/benefit of the interventions. The pre-defined goals that will be used to assess the success of the interventions include the number of lifestyle counselling sessions carried out, reduction of diabetes incidence, reduction of weight in those with a BMI above or equal to 25kg/m2 and increase in physical activities. In addition, an economic evaluation report considering the cost-effectiveness of the project as well as the generated quality of life will be produced.
- Estimated 1,94 million people from the general puplic in Qingdao exposed to health promotion campaign- A total of 276,793 with high risk of diabetes identified and followed with lifestyle intervention- 460 school teachers have attended training courses- 11,670 doctors and nurses have been trained in diabetes and healthy lifestyle- 1,393,506 lifestyle counselling sessions have been conducted by nurses and doctors- A potential positive effect of the Qingdao Diabetes Prevention Programme on the occurrence of diabetes detected