2024: Sustainability Healthy Active Living (SHAL) project - Building Healthy Communities with the dual goal of chronic disease prevention and promoting environmental sustainability – Prof Simon Anderson

International Development Research Centre (IDRC): Non communicable Diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), begin in early life, progress slowly, and are often undetected until symptoms occur in adulthood. Childhood obesity is increasing globally, which increases CVD risk. NCDs are largely preventable, but develop from multiple complex pathways through non-modifiable and modifiable risk factors. Prevention requires a lifecourse approach. We propose to conduct a multilevel NCD risk factor prevention program co-designed, implemented, and evaluated in Kingston, Jamaica, and lower socioeconomic neighbourhoods in Hamilton and Calgary, Canada. We will co-design interventions that combine healthy active living (HAL) behaviours with sustainability practices to reduce the risks of obesity, hypertension and type 2 diabetes in youths and adults living in vulnerable communities, and the impact of food production on climate change.

Investigators: Simon Anderson, Georgiana Gordon-Strachan, Joanne Smith, Thera Edwards

Sponsor: International Development Research Centre (IDRC)