A System Dynamics and Participatory Action Research Approach to Promote Healthy Living and a Healthy Weight among 10–14-Year-Old Adolescents in Amsterdam: The LIKE Programme

Wilma E. Waterlander, Angie Luna Pinzon, Arnoud Verhoeff, Karen den Hertog, Teatske Altenburg, Coosje Dijkstra, Jutka Halberstadt, Roel Hermans, Carry Renders, Jacob Seidell, Amika Singh, Manou Anselma, Vincent Busch, Helga Emke, Emma van den Eynde, Lieke van Houtum, Wilma J. Nusselder, Meredith Overman, Susan van de Vlasakker, Tanja Vrijkotte, Erica van den Akker, Stef P. J. Kremers, Mai Chinapaw and Karien Stronks
Additional contact information
Wilma E. Waterlander: Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Angie Luna Pinzon: Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Arnoud Verhoeff: Public Health Service Amsterdam, Sarphati Amsterdam, 1018 WT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Karen den Hertog: Amsterdam Healthy Weight Programme, Public Health Service Amsterdam, 1018 WT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Teatske Altenburg: Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 7, NL-1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Coosje Dijkstra: Department of Health Sciences, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Jutka Halberstadt: Department of Health Sciences, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Roel Hermans: Department of Health Promotion, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
Carry Renders: Department of Health Sciences, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Jacob Seidell: Department of Health Sciences, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Amika Singh: Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 7, NL-1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Manou Anselma: Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 7, NL-1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Vincent Busch: Public Health Service Amsterdam, Sarphati Amsterdam, 1018 WT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Helga Emke: Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 7, NL-1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Emma van den Eynde: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, 3025 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Lieke van Houtum: Public Health Service Amsterdam, Sarphati Amsterdam, 1018 WT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Wilma J. Nusselder: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, 3015 CN Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Meredith Overman: Department of Health Promotion, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
Susan van de Vlasakker: Public Health Service Amsterdam, Sarphati Amsterdam, 1018 WT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Tanja Vrijkotte: Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Erica van den Akker: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, 3025 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Stef P. J. Kremers: Department of Health Promotion, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
Mai Chinapaw: Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 7, NL-1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Karien Stronks: Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 14, 1-18

Abstract: This paper describes the design of the LIKE programme, which aims to tackle the complex problem of childhood overweight and obesity in 10–14-year-old adolescents using a systems dynamics and participatory approach. The LIKE programme focuses on the transition period from 10-years-old to teenager and was implemented in collaboration with the Amsterdam Healthy Weight Programme (AHWP) in Amsterdam-East, the Netherlands. The aim is to develop, implement and evaluate an integrated action programme at the levels of family, school, neighbourhood, health care and city. Following the principles of Participatory Action Research (PAR), we worked with our population and societal stakeholders as co-creators. Applying a system lens, we first obtained a dynamic picture of the pre-existing systems that shape adolescents’ behaviour relating to diet, physical activity, sleep and screen use. The subsequent action programme development was dynamic and adaptive, including quick actions focusing on system elements (quick evaluating, adapting and possibly catalysing further action) and more long-term actions focusing on system goals and/or paradigm change. The programme is supported by a developmental systems evaluation and the Intervention Level Framework, supplemented with routinely collected data on weight status and health behaviour change over a period of five years. In the coming years, we will report how this approach has worked to provide a robust understanding of the programme’s effectiveness within a complex dynamic system. In the meantime, we hope our study design serves as a source of inspiration for other public health intervention studies in complex systems.

Keywords: systems dynamics; participatory action research; Amsterdam Healthy Weight Programme; co-design; overweight and obesity; adolescents; complex systems (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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