A practical counselling aid for elderly was developed and evaluated. Changes in the health behaviour of elderly were identified, but effects could not be clearly traced to the intervention.

Group and individual counseling sessions play a key role in adolescent obesity treatment. The requirements of these training sessions are defined in national guidelines, e.g., the German "Adipositas-Konsensuspapier" (Obesity Consensus Paper). Literature research between 2005 and 2010 showed that the long-term effects of these sessions were low, based on five reviews considering obesity treatment and six reviews dealing with motivational interviewing (MI). The reviews underline high attrition and dropout rates associated with decreasing compliance. Individual requirements for resilient motivation and relapse prevention are described with the help of the transtheoretical model of behavioral change and the self-control model. By integrating MI into group and individual counseling sessions, behavioral change can be encouraged over the long term. The stages of change can be ascertained and coping strategies of three different risk situations can be established. MI seems to be helpful especially at the beginning and end of treatment, during the state of maintenance.

Objective: Up to now, no guideline has been set up that provides criteria for good practice in universal and selective childhood obesity prevention projects for children aged 3 to 6 in the kindergarten setting. Hence, based on guidelines for targeted prevention, the present study not only aims at assessing the current state of German universal and selective childhood obesity prevention projects in kindergartens, but also at deriving criteria of good practice in order to help fill this gap. Methods: An assessment of German childhood obesity prevention projects in the kindergarten setting was carried out by investigating prevention projects. Results: We identified 78 projects. It was not possible to find adequate information on all derived criteria at hand. We assessed the documentation in the databases as rather insufficient and fragmentary. Based on the documented data and the additional telephone inquiry, the identification of good practice projects seems rather difficult. Conclusion: The derived criteria are helpful to access universal and selective childhood obesity projects, but in the future the documentation in the databases needs to be augmented in order to increase project transparency and comparability

OptimaHl 60plus was a prevention study that included the participatory development and evaluation of an interdisciplinary counseling aid and aimed to improve the nutrition and physical activity behavior of people 60 years and older. The direct involvement of this vulnerable group in prevention programs might contribute to a reduction of inequities in health. This article describes the recruitment of the elderly, especially those with low socioeconomic or migration status, to the OptimaH1 60plus study. It presents successful strategies to reach and recruit the elderly. Community partner involvement, focus groups, translated intervention material, and involving the media all facilitated recruitment. The article gives recommendations for research, practice, and policy implications.