A New Approach for an Old Center in Promoting Community Health Inclusion for People with Disability

Purpose. The purpose of this methodological study was twofold: 1. Develop a set of scientifically sound obesity prevention guidelines, recommendations and adaptations for youths and adults with physical and cognitive disability; 2. Build a knowledge-to-action framework to promote community health inclusion in physical activity, nutrition and obesity. 

Methods.  A model to promote community health inclusion was developed (KATS, Knowledge Adaptation, Translation and Scale up) with four interlinking elements: new evidence-based knowledge (Strategy 1) is adapted for the local context (i.e., community); customized resources are effectively disseminated (Strategy 2) to raise community awareness and support for their use; a national center facilitates implementation (Strategy 3) with strong stakeholder involvement; and ‘best practices’ are scaled (Strategy 4) to a growing number of communities interested in community health inclusion through training and technical support.   

Results and Conclusion. KATS and a new set of obesity Guidelines, Recommendations and Adaptations Including Disability (GRAIDs) allow disability and health professionals and community health educators to systematically adapt community-based physical activity, nutrition and obesity prevention programs for people with disability. These tools provide disability and health professionals with a trustworthy set of evidence-informed guidelines to promote community health inclusion in community-based obesity prevention programs for children and adults with disability.  This is an important first step in growing a public health agenda that raises the consciousness level of all stakeholders involved in obesity prevention on the importance of community health inclusion.