About JOGG — JOGG

Our story

JOGG is working towards a 'Lifestyle transition' from unhealthy to healthy. But society cannot be changed in one day.

Since 2010, our Dutch public health organization JOGG has been working with various partners to create an environment where every child can grow up with access to healthy food, regular physical activity, and relaxation. We collaborate with almost 250 Dutch municipalities, as we firmly believe that real change happens at local level. We work closely with them, providing advice, training, and guidance to establish local networks, embedding health in and for all policies and implementing initiatives that promote healthy living.

Facing a complex challenge

Our youth is growing up in an obesogenic environment that encourages people to make unhealthy food choices and discourages them from being physically active.

The way our environment is designed and how people live makes it hard to make healthy choices. This is certainly true for children, and their caregivers as well. Some groups of children, both between and within countries, are more affected than others, but worldwide 1 in 10 children is overweight or obese as indicated by the World Health Organization.

But it is clear that actions aimed at the individual alone are not enough.

Healthy youth, healthy future

Every child has the right to grow up healthy. To grow up in an environment which makes the healthy choice the easiest choice.

This is why JOGG works internationally, nationally and locally with the JOGG approach to make those places healthier where children and adolescents spend most of their time. The JOGG approach is a holistic approach based on the principle of ‘Health in all policies’ which is rolled out in JOGG municipalities at the policy (local government), executive (professionals) and neighbourhood (residents) levels.

For a real change, we need to create a society where it’s possible and easy for every child to eat healthy and get enough exercise. All policymakers and professionals from all industries and sectors, nationally and internationally are needed. Marjon Bachra
Managing Director JOGG

New research

Evaluating community-based health promotion: The application of a holistic evaluation approach to the Healthy Youth, Healthy Future programme
The JOGG approach: how does it work and what does it deliver? Dr Irma Huiberts conducted five years of independent research on the evaluation of our widely implemented community-based health promotion programme. Conclusion of her thesis: keep going. Broad local cooperation to make the living environment healthier is the key to success. The local approach of JOGG makes a real difference. Not by fixating on short-term results, but by making the living environment healthier. With structural efforts. It is scientifically recognised that is actually works. In municipalities throughout the Netherlands, local JOGG teams are driving change in their neighbourhoods, districts and cities. They take the lead and lay the groundwork with the JOGG approach. They bring people together: schools, sports clubs, care institutions, supermarkets and residents. In wicked problems like obesity, everything is connected. So solving this issue is only possible if you look at the whole. Huiberts' research also shows that local commitment is necessary, to achieve maximum impact it must be reinforced with national and international actions and measures.

Based on our approach

Potentially, we are reaching 1.686.575 Dutch children and adolescents. And are proud of these achievements:

We have seen a reduction in the number of overweight children – JOGG approach seems most notably successful in areas with a low socio-economic status.
We have seen a reduction in the number of overweight children. In neighbourhoods where the JOGG approach has already been operating for four years, the measured percentage of overweight children and adolescents was 9% lower than in neighbourhoods without this approach. The JOGG approach seems to be successful most notably in areas with a low socio-economic status. (Kobes, Kretschmer & Timmerman; University of Groningen (2021), ‘Prevalence of overweight among Dutch primary school children living in JOGG and non-JOGG areas’)
JOGG approach is preventing people from becoming overweight and thus also preventing related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, muscle and joint disorders and diabetes. (OECD, 2022 'Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles: Best Practices in Public Health')
By scaling-up the approach throughout the Netherlands, potentially we could save €2.72 in healthcare costs per person per year. As well as add 16 more years of life and 19 more years of healthy life, on average, per 100,000 of the population per year, along with greater labour market participation and productivity.(OECD, 2022 'Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles: Best Practices in Public Health')

JOGG Factsheet

Meanwhile, more than half of the Dutch municipalities are part of the JOGG movement. We also worked together with various national partners.

Municipalities

2 4 2

Partners

3 8

Get in touch

Do you want to work on the lifestyle transition? Sign up for the e-learning: Challenging the obesogenic environment – Towards a Community-Based Approach.

Tackling excess weight and obesity is a major and complex issue facing governments, organisations and programmes worldwide. Despite cultural and local differences, the challenges we face are surprisingly similar. This is why Maastricht University and JOGG joined forces to create a free e-learning: Challenging the obesogenic environment – Towards a Community-Based Approach (CBA). You can find the e-learning here.

What can you expect?

This course aims to teach you to set up a local CBA. Applying a CBA involves going through a number of phases. Each chapter will take about 1 hour. The course has a total duration of 4 hours. The course is self-paced, which means you can follow it on your own, and at any time.

Chapter 1 Introduction and setting expectations.

Chapter 2 begins by explaining the value of the approach and what makes it different from usual initiatives aimed at preventing obesity. Understanding the fundamentals will enhance your ability to convince your partners of the need to apply CBA in your own community.

Chapter 3 outlines the first steps of a CBA, the mapping and setting up phase.

Chapter 4 guides you through the implementing phase, showing you the steps you need to develop your goals and a strategy for realizing those goals.

Chapter 5 guides you through the learning and refreshing phase, instructing you on the process of monitoring & evaluation and creating long-term change.

Each chapter has one or more assignments attached. The purpose of these assignments is to get you actively working with the material and thinking how you can apply it to your own situation.

More information?

Send an email to patty.scholten@jogg.nl.

Do you have any questions about JOGG or a healthy lifestyle? Please contact Patty Scholten.

Reach out!