Creating a healthy food environment in schools is a strategy employed by the NSW government since 2005.This study looked at changes in food sold in primary schools over 3 years and found modest improvements; however, overall compliance was low. This raises concern and indicates that schools require more support to stem the tide of childhood obesity, especially in rural and disadvantaged areas.]

How the environment impacts on physical activity in rural adults is not well understood. This qualitative study explored environmental barriers and facilitators to physical activity participation among rural adults, and discovered that functionality, diversity of opportunities, spaces and places for all, and realistic expectations were important considerations for rural-dwellers. These factors should be considered when modifying rural environments to support physical activity.

This article reports on the differences in objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour among a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) sample of adolescents. The results demonstrate lower engagement in physical activity and greater sedentary behaviour participation among Chinese-Australian and South-East Asian adolescents compared to Anglo-Australian adolescents. These findings are important for intervention planning and delivery and population health.

Both family health history (FHH) and lifestyle behaviours such as physical activity, dietary intake and alcohol consumption are risk factors for chronic disease. This paper examines whether FHH information could be used to motivate young people to intend to modify these lifestyle behaviours. The provision of a FHH assessment increased perceived vulnerability among young adults and intentions to communicate with family members about disease risk, but did not change dietary or physical activity intentions.

Eighty parents were randomly allocated to an experimental group given an obesity pamphlet or to a control group. The study found that the pamphlet increased understanding of childhood obesity immediately after the intervention in parents of overweight or obese children.

Men’s Sheds offer a male space for socialising, activities and also support the promotion of men’s health and wellbeing. Better understanding different sheds’ function and philosophy enabled us to create a framework that will assist future men’s health promotion activities. Efficient and targeted health promotion activities at Men’s Sheds will lead to better health and wellbeing outcomes for Australian men.

The workplace is an important setting for health promotion. This evaluation of a four-month workplace physical activity program found increases in daily steps and reductions in sitting time but limited overall increases in physical activity, given high levels of participants at baseline. To have the greatest population health impact, future workplace physical activity programs should target inactive employees.

Children’s fruit and vegetable consumption is below levels recommended for optimal growth, development and health. ‘Kids in the Kitchen’ – a hands-on classroom-based food preparation program for primary school students – resulted in increased numbers of fruits and vegetables tried, liked and consumed by students. Primary schools that provide opportunities for active involvement in food preparation can contribute positively to children’s nutrition.

Flipcharts are widely used as education tools in Indigenous health. In the first paediatric quantitative study on the use of flipcharts as a means of providing health education to Indigenous Australians, we have shown that culturally appropriate flipcharts are an effective method of providing health education.

With the use of sun-protective behaviours and the avoidance of deliberate UV exposure, skin cancer should be largely preventable. This study aimed to examine responses to the ban on commercial solariums in Australia. There were high levels of public support for the ban; however, it will take time to modify the tanning behaviours of prior solarium users.