Table 3 Utilization of behaviour change techniques (BCT) [46] by interventions with illustrative examples

Natural consequences & shaping knowledge

29 (97%) interventions (# 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30)

Intervention #3 – Conexion

Participants were introduced to an online diabetes and depression learning resource known as 'Conexion' and then asked to complete 2–4 modules as homework

Intervention #11—Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids (UK)

The intervention comprised 9 weekly sessions which included 30 min of education delivered for children and fathers separately. Fathers’ sessions covered a range of lifestyle behaviours around the importance of physical activity, nutrition and parenting. Children were taught about healthy eating, physical activity and how to be a supportive family member

Feedback & monitoring

23 (77%) interventions (# 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30)

Intervention #22—The FAMILIA study

Participants received individualized counselling session to discuss the results of a cardiovascular disease risk assessment and guidance on interpreting results (including weight, waist and hip circumferences, blood pressure, blood glucose, body mass index, lipid profile, ultrasound of their carotid and/or femoral vessels). They also received a representative printed picture of their carotid and/or femoral vessels

Repetition & substitution

20 (67%) interventions (# 1, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 29, 30)

Intervention #5—Family partners for health

To reduce sedentary behaviour and increase physical activity, children and parents in the intervention were asked to incrementally increase their daily step count to 10,000

Goals & planning

18 (60%) interventions (# 1, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 29, 30)

Intervention #13—HeLP-her Rural

Through group work and 1:1 coaching, facilitators of a weight management program for rural women utilized motivational interviewing techniques with the aim to improve participants’ self-management capacity through the development of skills in goal setting, problem solving, and relapse prevention

Social support

16 (53%) interventions (# 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24)

Intervention #1—Bronx Oncology Living Daily (BOLD) Healthy Living Program

The intervention, aimed at addressing lifestyle behaviours for diabetes prevention, employed a buddy system in which participants in the education sessions formed pairs to increase personal accountability and motivation during the week. Final session included a celebration with their invited family and guests

Antecedents

11 (37%) interventions (# 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 19, 24, 26, 28, 29)

Intervention #28—No name

Residents of the intervention neighbourhood received new full-service food retail provision (one new 41,000 square foot grocery store)

Comparison of behaviour

9 (30%) interventions (# 7, 9, 10, 11, 16, 20, 22, 23, 24)

Intervention #10—Healthy Dads Healthy Kids (Australia)

Fathers attended eight face-to-face sessions over 3 months (90 min each) with the aim to help them achieve their weight loss goals, become healthy role models, and promote healthy behaviours for their children. It was assumed that by including the children in sessions, their natural enthusiasm for father-child activity provided an important behavioural reinforcement

Regulation

5 (17%) interventions (# 5, 7, 8, 19, 29)

Intervention #19—Project H.I.G.H. (Helping Individuals Get Healthy),

A home-based intervention involving participants and their families aimed to improve self-care behaviours for people at risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, focussed on enhanced understanding of the emotional aspects of diabetes or cardiovascular disease and the impact on self-care and prevention. This approach recognized the need for support to manage negative emotions to facilitate behaviour change and where needed participants were referred to external services, including mental health counselling

Identity

5 (17%) interventions (# 4, 8, 10, 20, 29)

Intervention #4—Faith, Activity and Nutrition (FAN) Intervention

The training emphasized the scriptural relevance of physical health from a Christian tradition. Church committee members each received a pedometer and were encouraged to identify as a role model for health behaviour to the congregation

Self-belief

5 (17%) interventions (# 7, 9, 10, 29, 30)

Intervention #29—No name

An intervention addressing health risk behaviours in adults with a history of adverse childhood experiences utilized motivational interviewing to support participants to identify risk behaviours and their goals for change. During interviews, participants were guided to recall past accomplishments and the qualities that made those changes possible, as a way to highlight their resilience and inherent strengths

Associations

4 (13%) interventions (# 9, 10, 20, 29)

Intervention #9—Getting Our Active Lifestyles Started (GOALS)

An intervention aimed at supporting families to eat healthier utilized classroom-based sessions to address prompts for over-eating, including topics such as hunger and craving and dealing with bullying

Reward & threat

3 (10%) interventions (# 9, 16, 22)

Intervention #16—New life, New you (NLNY)

At the end of the 10-week programme, participants who had completed > 80% attendance received an access to leisure card that enabled free leisure service use for 12 months

Comparison of outcomes

2 (7%) interventions (# 8, 29)

Intervention #8—Full Plate Living

A community health worker led intervention aimed to support participants in making balanced and realistic decisions concerning food choices. To avoid eliminating foods associated with positive emotions or cultural traditions, no food category was prohibited. Instead, participants were encouraged to thoughtfully fill three quarters of their plates with low-glycaemic index, fibre-rich foods to create or complement favourite dishes

Scheduled consequences

1 (3%) interventions (# 16)

Intervention #16—New life, New you (NLNY)

During weight reduction sessions, trainers introduced the use of contingent rewards as one of the behaviour change strategies