“An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure”: Proposal for a Social Prescribing Strategy for Obesity Prevention and Improvement in Health and Well-being

• DOI: 10.2196/41280
• Publication Date: 2023-02-17T13:30:24Z
• Authors: Sisitha Jayasinghe; Timothy P Holloway; Robert Soward; Kira A E Patterson; Kiran D K Ahuja; Lisa Dalton; Sandra Murray; Roger Hughes; Nuala M Byrne; Andrew P Hills
• Keywords: Fluid ounce (US); Pound (networking)

Background Social and behavioral determinants of health are increasingly recognized as central to effective person-centered intervention in clinical practice, disease management, public health. Accordingly, social prescribing (SP) has received increased attention recent times. The rampant global prevalence obesity indicates that the customary, reductionistic, disease-oriented biomedical approach service delivery is inadequate/ineffective at arresting spread mitigating damaging consequences condition. There an urgent need shift focus from reactive downstream disease-based treatments more proactive, upstream, preventive action. In essence, this requires effort affect paradigm traditional “biomedical care” a “biopsychosocial model” required arrest increasing obesity. To end, SP approach, anchored systems thinking, could be means moderating community level. Objective proposed following three key objectives: (1) build sustainable program for Circular Head based on SP, peer education, screening minimize incidence related lifestyle diseases; (2) increase workforce connectivity collaboration initiate introduction new services activities prevention promotion; (3) enhance well-being preventable adverse outcomes diseases through enhancement food literacy better nutrition, physical habitual personal activity levels, improvement mental health, connectedness, reduction isolation. Methods This paper describes prospective strategy aimed Head, local government area Northwest (NW) Tasmania. prominent used Critical Age Periods Impacting Trajectory Obesogenic Lifestyles Project, which initiative NW Tasmania focused assessing capacity. A prescription model facilitates linkage primary with essential care, resources dedicated “navigator” will implemented. Four interlinked work packages implemented part initial plan each either building existing or developing initiatives. Results multimethod triangulate insights quantitative qualitative research enables assessment impact individuals, groups, care system within pilot phase project. Conclusions Literature replete rhetoric advocating complex approaches curtail However, real-life examples whole-of-systems interventions operationalized ways generate relevant evidence policies rare. diverse obesity-related strategies described instance contribute toward closing gap. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/41280