This review looked at the effects of strategies to improve the implementation (or correct undertaking) of policies, practices or programmes by childcare services that promote children's healthy eating, physical activity and/or obesity prevention. The authors also looked at whether these strategies improved childcare service staff knowledge, skills or attitudes.

In almost all countries worldwide, most people eat too much salt. This is a problem because eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which can lead to health problems such as heart disease and stroke. To reduce the amount of salt eaten, governments in many countries have developed national salt reduction initiatives.This review aimed to examine whether national salt reduction initiatives have been effective in reducing the amount of salt consumed in those populations.

The maltreatment of older people, also known as elder abuse, is a global problem, affecting large numbers of people worldwide. It’s a single or repeated act and, although it may be caused by employed carers, the abuse is more commonly committed by a relative, such as the son or daughter of the abused person. The maltreatment can take many forms including financial abuse, social abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect.

Low levels of zinc, or zinc deficiency, is a common problem in children and women living in low- and middle-income countries. Cereal-based foods and legumes are rich in dietary fibre and phytates, which reduce absorption of zinc from the intestine. As people in low-income households derive majority of their nutritional intake from only these foods, they are more likely to develop zinc deficiency. Adding zinc to common staple foods, alone or in combination with other vitamins and minerals, has been proposed as an intervention to increase intake of zinc.

There is growing research and policy interest in the potential for using the natural environment to enhance human health and well-being. It is thought that contact with the natural environment has a positive impact on health and well-being. Outdoor environmental enhancement and conservation activities include activities such as unpaid litter picking, tree planting or path maintenance.

The Cochrane Public Health review examing interventions for promoting reintegration and reducting harmful behaviour and lifestyles in street-connected children and young people has been updated.

A memorial event  was held to celebrate and honour the life of Professor Elizabeth Waters in October.  If you are interested in viewing the event, please do contact us. Liz’s husband Paul Joyce published an obituary in The Age and paid tribute to her many talents, achievements and contributions to public health in Australia and around the globe.

Unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) for humanitarian assistance during disasters may improve health in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by giving recipients additional income.This review sought to assess the effect of UCTs on health services use, health outcomes, social determinants of health, health care expenditure, and local markets and infrastructure in LMICs. The authors also assessed the effects of UCTs paid in-hand compared with grants of other goods (e.g., food) and types of cash transfers.

This new Cochrane review examined the evidence to establish by how much the amounts of food, alcohol or tobacco adults and children select or consume change in response to being presented with larger or smaller-sized (or differently shaped) portions or packages of these products, or of items of tableware (such as plates or glasses) used to consume them.Study characteristics

This Cochrane review included fifty-eight community coalition-driven intervention studies, with at least one racial or ethnic minority group representing the target population and at least two community, public or private organizations involved. Findings indicated that interventions led by community coalitions may connect health and human service providers with ethnic and racial minority communities in ways that benefit individual health outcomes and behaviors, as well as care delivery systems.