Individual assignment
Course: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
, Intervention
We designed an intervention (online webinar) to increase the quality of life of our target
population (Leiden University employees at the Social Sciences Faculty (SSF)). Our aim was to
prevent sugar overconsumption due to the detrimental health consequences such as obesity (malik et
al., 2013), type-2 diabetes (Ramos-Romero et al., 2018) and cardiovascular diseases (Yang et al.,
2014). We focused on sugar in drinks and the health behavior drinking less sugary-sweetened-
beverages (SSBs) because for drinks there was a safe alternative without any hidden sugars. Hence,
our health promoting behavior was drinking water instead of SSBs. Corresponding performance
objectives were: buy your own reusable water bottle, bring this bottle to work and choose water over
SSBs in vending machines. Habit, knowledge, perceived behavioral control and attitude were
considered as important and changeable determinants. Several methods (arguments, elaboration,
personalized risk, planning coping responses and implementation intentions) were used in our
intervention to establish the corresponding change objectives of these personal determinants.
Contextual Aspects for Interventions Regarding Health Promotion in Leiden University
Employees
Important stakeholders of the Leiden University SSF (board members) should realize that
sugar overconsumption in employees can lead to detrimental organizational consequences. According
to Guerrero-López and Colchero (2018) overconsumption of SSBs can eventually lead to premature
disability and even mortality. This will manifest in work productivity loss and increased absenteeism.
To prevent this, board members should consider contextual aspects of the webinar to promote health
behavior (choosing water over SSBs) within the work environment of employees. Three determinants
are important for this health behavior and will be outlined together with proposals for the board for
interventions to establish behavioral change within the SSF.
Firstly, an important environmental determinant to intervene on is external cues to action.
According to the Health Belief Model (HBM; Janz & Becker, 1984) people their perceived
susceptibility, severity, benefits and barriers of behavior is important for behavioral change. Although
these dimensions were implemented within the webinar (via knowledge), external cues to action are
Course: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
, Intervention
We designed an intervention (online webinar) to increase the quality of life of our target
population (Leiden University employees at the Social Sciences Faculty (SSF)). Our aim was to
prevent sugar overconsumption due to the detrimental health consequences such as obesity (malik et
al., 2013), type-2 diabetes (Ramos-Romero et al., 2018) and cardiovascular diseases (Yang et al.,
2014). We focused on sugar in drinks and the health behavior drinking less sugary-sweetened-
beverages (SSBs) because for drinks there was a safe alternative without any hidden sugars. Hence,
our health promoting behavior was drinking water instead of SSBs. Corresponding performance
objectives were: buy your own reusable water bottle, bring this bottle to work and choose water over
SSBs in vending machines. Habit, knowledge, perceived behavioral control and attitude were
considered as important and changeable determinants. Several methods (arguments, elaboration,
personalized risk, planning coping responses and implementation intentions) were used in our
intervention to establish the corresponding change objectives of these personal determinants.
Contextual Aspects for Interventions Regarding Health Promotion in Leiden University
Employees
Important stakeholders of the Leiden University SSF (board members) should realize that
sugar overconsumption in employees can lead to detrimental organizational consequences. According
to Guerrero-López and Colchero (2018) overconsumption of SSBs can eventually lead to premature
disability and even mortality. This will manifest in work productivity loss and increased absenteeism.
To prevent this, board members should consider contextual aspects of the webinar to promote health
behavior (choosing water over SSBs) within the work environment of employees. Three determinants
are important for this health behavior and will be outlined together with proposals for the board for
interventions to establish behavioral change within the SSF.
Firstly, an important environmental determinant to intervene on is external cues to action.
According to the Health Belief Model (HBM; Janz & Becker, 1984) people their perceived
susceptibility, severity, benefits and barriers of behavior is important for behavioral change. Although
these dimensions were implemented within the webinar (via knowledge), external cues to action are
