Growing CAPITOL (Critical Age Periods Impacting the Trajectory of Obesogenic Lifestyles) 4 Life

Emerging evidence highlights the value of place-based approaches in improving community health, including preventing childhood obesity. These approaches leverage local knowledge, build trust, and support co-designed initiatives. This case study presents a project in North-West Tasmania that combined capacity building and collective impact strategies to promote optimal early childhood development during the first 1000 days (F1D), with academic researchers playing a supportive role.

The project aimed to raise health literacy among parents and caregivers in Burnie, Circular Head and Devonport. It employed a comprehensive strategy informed by theories on F1D importance, health equity, health literacy, and systems thinking, along with place-based and asset-based frameworks. A broad group of stakeholders were engaged, and a mapping of local assets guided the implementation.

Key early activities included stakeholder engagement and community asset mapping, concluding in early 2024, followed by storytelling workshops and academic evaluations. Community campaigns and learning products were co-designed and activated during the balance of 2024.

The project exemplified the key principles of collective impact: establishing a shared agenda, defining success measures, coordinating aligned activities, maintaining open communication, and creating a backbone structure for support and data coordination. It offered valuable lessons for future policy and program development by emphasizing the importance of context-specific adaptation and community-led design.