Reports highlight focus on Child Life in Healthy Balance
Child Life in Healthy Balance is a community-based initiative designed to foster healthier everyday environments and improve children’s health and well-being. The National Institute of Public Health has now evaluated the implementation of this initiative and examined children’s well-being and weight before its launch.
How can local initiatives be developed to enhance children’s health and well-being? What is important for successful implementation, and what is necessary to consider when a wide range of local stakeholders—such as schools, health services, daycare centers, and community organizations—collaborate to promote healthy environments for children?
Two new reports from the National Institute of Public Health evaluate the project Child Life in Healthy Balance, which began in 2020 and targets approximately 6,500 children aged 0–10 years in selected areas of Albertslund, Aalborg, and Frederikssund municipalities. The goal of the project is to support municipalities, local communities and families in creating healthier environments for children, promoting well-being, and ensuring healthy weight development.
Baseline study
One of the reports serves as a baseline study of the local areas, utilizing existing data from national registers and databases.
“The baseline study describes the socioeconomic profiles of the intervention and comparison areas, while also providing insights into children’s weight status and general well-being. This serves as a starting point for measuring future improvements. In 2026 and 2029, we plan follow-up evaluations to assess the project’s impact on children’s well-being and weight,” explains Assistant Professor Thora Majlund Kjærulff, one of the researchers behind the evaluation.
Key insights and learnings
The second report evaluates the implementation processes of Child Life in Healthy Balance.
The report highlights key experiences and lessons learned from implementing health promotion initiatives from which other municipalities and stakeholders can draw inspiration, says Assistant Professor Dina Danielsen, who contributed to the evaluation:
“For example, it became clear that both health professionals and non-health professionals recognize the value of continuity in health promotion efforts. When health services, daycare centers, schools, after-school programs, and community organizations work together with a targeted focus on promoting health in children’s daily lives, it creates significant value and coherence. Additionally, integrating health-promoting initiatives into existing practices is more successful when local leadership provides support, and there is collegial engagement.”
Another important finding is that creating change locally requires ample time and substantial resources.
“For instance, project staff are needed to support the development, adaptation, and implementation of specific initiatives over an extended period if health-promoting practices are to become firmly embedded and perceived as ‘just the way we do things,’” adds Dina Danielsen.
Child Life in Healthy Balance initiative was developed by Local Government Denmark (Center for Forebyggelse i praksis) KL.
Both reports were supported by Nordea-fonden.
Contact Information: Assistant Professor Thora Majlund Kjærulff: +45 6550 7761, thok@sdu.dk; Assistant Professor Dina Danielsen: +45 6550 7714, dida@sdu.dk; National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark (SDU).