Health4EUKids – WP4: capacity building programme

Module 1 – Transferability and sustainability of Best Practices in health promotion and childhood obesity prevention

This module of the capacity building programme delves into the key concepts of transferability, sustainability, and scalability in the context of health promotion and childhood obesity prevention. It will present the context analyses conducted as part of the Work Package 4 (WP4) “Transferability and Sustainability” activities of the Joint Action (JA) Health4EUkids, alongside contributions from experts and experiences gained in other Joint Actions and EU projects.

The Concepts of Transferability, Sustainability, and Scalability

Transferability: in the context of best practices, can be broadly understood as the degree to which a practice can be adapted and utilized in different contexts. It refers to the process of transferring a policy or practice from one geographical or institutional setting to another, taking into account the factors that facilitate or hinder such transfer. Specifically, transferability involves the effective use of knowledge, skills, or practices acquired in a new context, adapting to differences in cultural, economic, and institutional frameworks. It encompasses both the technical aspects of the practice and the socio-cultural, economic, and political determinants that influence its effective implementation in different environments.

Sustainability: refers to the ability of initiatives, programmes, or interventions to endure over time while maintaining their effectiveness and benefits for individuals, communities, and populations. It implies not only the continuation of the intervention itself but also its integration into existing systems or structures, adaptability to changes, assurance of necessary resources over time, and the generation of lasting positive impacts on health and well-being. Sustainable health promotion practices prioritize resilience, equity, and community empowerment, addressing the underlying determinants of health.

Scalability: refers to the capacity of a programme, intervention, or initiative to be expanded, replicated, or adapted to reach larger populations or broader contexts while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency. It involves designing and implementing strategies that enable applications at a larger scale without significant loss of quality or impact. Scalability includes considerations such as resource availability, organizational capacity, infrastructural requirements, and stakeholder engagement, ensuring that health promotion activities can be successfully extended to wider contexts or populations.

This module includes 9 learning units distributed across 3 sessions.

Session 1.1 – Transferability and sustainability: an overview across Joint Actions and other EU initiatives

Unit 1.1.1 – Joint Action on CVDs and diabetes – JACARDI

Unit 1.1.2 – Sustainability of the Joint Action Chrodis+: Main results and lessons learnt

Unit 1.1.3 – JA Prevent NCD - WP4 Sustainability

Unit 1.1.4 – Inequalities and Social Determinants in Public Health

Session 1.2 – Health4EUkids: Overview of the context for supporting best practice implementation

Unit 1.2.1 – Data overview from EU survey on policies and programs on childhood obesity and responsive parenthood

Unit 1.2.2 – Data overview from SWOT Analysis on transferability, sustainability, and scalability

Unit 1.2.3 – Report on the Delphi process concerning the sustainability of the best practices Grünau Moves and Smart Family

Report in it alian (pdf 302 kb)
Report in English (pdf 370 kb)

Session 1.3 – The perspective of stakeholders and experts on the transferability, scalability, and sustainability of Joint Actions and best practices

Unit 1.3.1 – Stakeholder consultation report: transferability, scalability, and sustainability of best practices

Report in italian (pdf 219 kb)
Report in English (pdf 226 kb)

Unit 1.3.2 – Discussion on transferability, scalability, and sustainability from the 17th EUPHA pre-conference session

Report in italian (pdf 353 kb)
Report in English (pdf 365 kb)

Useful resources

Visit the EpiCentro page dedicated to the modular capacity building programme
Visit the EpiCentro page dedicated to the European Joint Action “Health4EUkids”
Visit the EpiCentro page dedicated to the WP4 workshop (Lisbon, November 2024)
Visit the EpiCentro page dedicated to the second workshop WP4 (Roma, March 2025)
View the Grunau moves factsheet
Visit the English web page of Smart family

Obesity

Health4EUKids – WP4: capacity building programme

The Concepts of Transferability, Sustainability, and Scalability