Ready, Steady, Go! Program, Italy: a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis.

BACKGROUND: Ready, Steady, Go! promotes proper nutrition and physical activity among people of all ages in targeted neighborhoods and encourages social integration and children's participation in decisions that affect their lives. It also seeks to involve parents in activities so that they can influence their children's attitudes toward lifestyles and personal development. This partnership has reached 70,000 Italian children and adults with new opportunities for physical activities and social experiences that help them improve nutritional behaviors while having fun with their peers.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the Ready, Steady, Go! Program logic and to identify Critical Quality Control Points (CCPs) and a core suite of impact indicators based on a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis.

METHODS: The PIP analysis team reviewed the key activities and processes that form Ready, Steady, Go! and then identified key CCPs for the project. The findings were presented at the Healthy Lifestyles Program Evaluation Workshop held in Granada, Spain, 13-14 September 2013, under the auspices of the Mondelēz International Foundation.

RESULTS: The PIP analysis confirmed that Ready, Steady, Go! has a structure that is likely to support the primary aims of the program. The CCPs identified are training of teachers in healthy lifestyles, teachers' active participation in the program, access to remodeled and well-equipped sports and recreational centers, participation of parents and grandparents, and involvement of local institutions and networks. A suite of impact indicators for changes in healthy lifestyle knowledge, attitudes, and behavior was identified.

CONCLUSIONS: Project staff are now more aware of the importance of carefully monitoring the CCPs and have decided to conduct quarterly PIP-informed quality control evaluations.