Breadcrumbs
OPAL
The Obesity Prevention and Lifestyle (OPAL) program was implemented in South Australia between 2009 and 2017.
The OPAL program was informed by the French program, EPODE (translated as ‘together we can prevent childhood obesity’).
The aim of the program was to improve eating and physical activity patterns of South Australian children, through families and communities, and thereby increase the proportion of 0-18 year olds in the healthy weight range and improve their quality of life. The program was implemented across five years in each of 20 South Australian OPAL Communities (plus one in the Northern Territory) in partnership with local councils.
OPAL communities:
|
Phase 1 (2009-14) |
Phase 2 (2010-15) |
Phase 3 (2011-16) |
Phase 4 (2012-17) |
|
City of Marion |
City of Whyalla |
City of West Torrens |
Alexandrina Council |
|
City of Mt Gambier |
District Council of the Copper Coast |
City of Murray Bridge |
The Coorong District Council |
|
City of Onkaparinga |
City of Charles Sturt |
Mid Murray Council |
City of Salisbury (North) |
|
City of Playford |
City of Port Adelaide Enfield |
Northern Areas Council, Peterborough and Mount Remarkable (joint site) |
City of Charles Sturt (Outer) |
|
City of Port Augusta |
|
City of Playford (South) |
Campbelltown City Council |
|
City of Salisbury |
|
City of Palmerston - NT (COPAL) |
|
The work of OPAL is now embedded in many of those sites with a range of activities continuing as they are linked to delivering their local
Regional Public Health Plans under the South Australian Public Health Act 2011.
Some of the major achievements of the OPAL sites have been made available in the case studies.
OPAL goals
OPAL focused on six goals to bring about behavioural change across the community:
Eating well, which means:
- healthy food choices available at food outlets
- healthy meals produced in and from homes
- local healthy food production, access and distribution.
Being active, which includes
- active travel journeys
- active leisure participation choices
- use of parks, spaces and places.
There were also six OPAL themes.
OPAL evaluation
Flinders University OPAL Evaluation Project Report 2016
The Flinders University of South Australia (Flinders) OPAL Evaluation Project measured changes in healthy weight and health-related quality of life as well as changes in eating practices (including fruit, vegetable and discretionary food/drink consumption) and changes in home and school environments, sleep, physical activity and sedentary (screen-time) practices. The community capacity building component of the OPAL program also was evaluated. This evaluation compared OPAL sites in Phase 1 and 2 of the program with matched comparison communities in the same phase.