Table 2

Inclusion/exclusion criteria for each of the six health behaviours

Health Behaviour

Population

Intervention

Exclusions

Outcomes

Smoking

Smokers

Those with raised risk

(e.g. pregnant women)

General population

Interventions with a behavioural or educational component; advertising/media campaign; smoke free policies; other (to promote the outcomes)

Nicotine replacement therapy; other drug therapies; acupuncture; interventions aimed at treatment of smoking-related illness

Change in behaviours

Smoking cessation; smoking prevention

Physical activity

Those with raised risk (e.g. overweight, sedentary or pregnant)

General population

Interventions with a behavioural or educational component; advertising/media campaign; other (to promote the outcomes)

Interventions aimed at treating health problems (e.g. arthritis, back pain and intermittent claudication)

Change in behaviours

Prevention of health problems related to sedentary lifestyle; increased uptake of exercise; increase in exercise levels

Alcohol misuse

Problem drinkers

Those with raised risk

(e.g. pregnant women)

General population

Interventions with a behavioural or educational component; advertising/media campaign; interventions to reduce drink driving; other (to promote the outcomes)

Programmes to maintain abstinence; reviews of those with alcohol dependence

Change in behaviours

Prevent/reduce alcohol consumption; prevent/reduce drink driving; promote moderate drinking

Diet

General population

Interventions with a behavioural or educational component; advertising/media campaign;

Must have the aim of promoting healthy eating, rather than solely focussing on weight loss;

Interventions aiming only to reduce risk factors (blood pressure; hypertension); population with a chronic disease (e.g. those with diabetes or heart disease)

Weight loss diets without a behavioural/educational component

Change in behaviours

Dietary change

Illicit drug use

General population

Interventions with a behavioural or educational component; advertising/media campaign; other (to promote the outcomes)

Interventions aimed at illicit drug misusers (i.e. those with a dependency on illicit drugs)

Change in behaviours

Prevention of illicit drug use

Sexual risk taking in young people

Young people

Interventions with a behavioural or educational component; advertising/media campaign; other (to promote the outcomes)

Interventions aimed at sexual risk takers (e.g. treatments for STIs; pregnancy counselling)

Change in behaviours

Reduction of sexual risk taking; reduction of STDs; reduction of teenage pregnancy rates

Jepson et al. BMC Public Health 2010 10:538   doi:10.1186/1471-2458-10-538