Implementation and Scalability SIG Newsletter December 2025

Hello Implementation and Scalability SIG member!

WELCOME TO THE IMPLEMENTATION AND SCALABILITY SIG NEWSLETTER

Our newsletter contains information on key events held pre and post the ISBNPA 2025 in Auckland New Zealand. I hope you enjoy it!

ISBNPA 2025

Tailoring the fit: A co-designed community, evidence-based lifestyle program for polycystic ovary syndrome Symposium

The symposium was chaired by Dr Lisa Moran (SIG member) and included Stephanie Cowan, Melissa Olfert and Heide Van Den Brink. It discussed the need and evidence base for tailoring community based lifestyle management in polycystic ovary syndrome with practical examples across United States and Australia.

Advancing the evidence to scale-up health promotion programs: findings from a series of randomised trials to maximise the adoption of an evidence-based school nutrition program

Effective school-based nutrition interventions present significant opportunity to improve child dietary intake if successfully implemented at scale. Despite this, successful scale-up is rare and efforts to do so often result in a significant voltage drop. Over a series of trials, the SWAP IT healthy lunchbox program has been demonstrated to be effective at improving child dietary intake, weight status, is cost effective as well as being highly acceptable and feasible. Despite the programs demonstrated effect, little evidence was available to guide efforts to encourage school adoption of SWAP IT at scale – which is required in order to maximise the population-level health benefits. The synposium was led by A/Prof Rachel Sutherland, Dr Jannah Jones, Dr Anna rayward and chaired by Dr Taren Swindle and (SIG Executive and members).

2025 Abstract Award Announcement

The ISBNPA Implementation and Scalability SIG is delighted to announce the winners of the 2025 Conference Abstract Award in Implementation and Scalability.

First Place:

Dr. Cassandra Lane and co-authors earned first place for their outstanding submission titled “Cultural Evaluation of SWAP IT: Enhancing Implementation in Schools with High Aboriginal Enrolment in the HNE region of Australia recognized for its clarity and potential impact”.

Runner up:

Dr. Eeva Rantala and co-authors were selected as runner-up for their submission titled “Workplace choice architecture modification for healthy eating and daily physical activity effectiveness of a quasi-experimental real-world intervention”.

Honourable mention:

Dr. Jo Salmon and co-authors received honorable mention for their strong contribution titled “A comparison of TransformUs intervention effectiveness at scale using compositional versus traditional analysis”.

Congratulations to all, and thank you to everyone who submitted their excellent work.

ISBNPA 2025 I&S SIG Satellite Meeting

Over two days in June, the Implementation and Scalability SIG hosted a pre-conference satellite meeting in sunny Newcastle, Australia called “Scaling Up and Sustaining Health Innovations".

The session was facilitated by members of the SIG, including its current Chair, Assoc. Prof Rachel Sutherland, along with others, Assoc. Prof Nicole Nathan, Professor Luke Wolfenden, Dr Karen Lee from Australia and from the USA, Prof. Taren Swindle and Assoc Prof Rachel Tabak. The workshop also featured special guests who are key experts in the area, Emeritus Prof. Adrian Bauman who gave the summary wrap-up of each day and Prof. Andrew Milat who presented the view of policymakers when scaling up.

The meeting was well attended with over 30 participants from all over Australia and included a mix of researchers, policymakers, PhD students and practitioners. Presentations focused on a mix of theory and real world approaches to and examples of scaling and sustaining health innovations in Australia and globally. There were also hands on group activities that helped participants practice some of the new skills learned during the sessions. A range of interesting and thought provoking questions and discussions were had, along with opportunities to network and build further collaborations.

We are grateful to the University of Newcastle and the National Centre of Implementation Science (NCOIS) for hosting the event.

Look out for more capacity building events organized by the SIG in future conferences.

Look out for the 2026 Pre Conference Satellite Meeting prior to Cadiz, Spain.

MEET AN IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCHER

Adolfo Pineda Hernández

Tell us a little about your research:

My thesis was based on a secondary analysis exploring the relationship between sociodemographic factors and 24-hour movement behaviors in preschoolers in Mexico, and how these behaviors are associated with executive and motor functions. Currently, I work in research focused on physical activity and healthy behaviors in children and adolescents, including international projects such as the Global Adolescent and Child Physical Activity Questionnaire.

Tell us about yourself and your background.

I am a physiotherapist specialized in cardiac. I have always been passionate about exercise physiology and training methodology. I love the exercise and practice several sports.

To what extent does your research add to implementation research?

Much of my work has focused on secondary data analysis. However, I strongly believe that evidence should not stay confined to academic papers. My goal is to move toward implementation research to translate findings into practical strategies and interventions that can be adopted by schools, families and communities. I would like to bridge the gap between research and real-world impact.

What’s your area of passion (what makes you want to get to work each day)?

I am deeply motivated by the idea that physical activity is a fundamental right, yet access to it is unequal. What truly inspires me is the complexity of transforming research findings into real-world action implementing evidence-based interventions, translating them into policies or programs, scaling them up to diverse contexts, and ensuring their long-term sustainability. For me, that is the true challenge of public health in any field. Achieving this requires understanding and navigating complex systems that involve multiple sectors such as education, health, transportation, etc.

What is one of your proudest achievements?

Professionally, one of my proudest moments is working in the Department of Physical Activity at the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico.

Outside of work, can you share something new about you?

I love dancing, and spending time with my family and friends. Music is another passion of mine, and I am currently learning box.

ISBNPA 2026 I&S SIG Research Impact Awards

We are proud to again be offering the ISBNPA I&S SIG Research Impact Awards in 2026. The initiative affirms our commitment to fostering the development of Early- and Mid-Career Researchers (EMCRs) and aims to encourage our next generation of researchers to pursue research that improves health policy, practice or community health and makes a contribution to knowledge.

Three awards— PhD Student, Early Career, and Mid-Career—will honor studies published in the last five years (2021-2026) studies in behavioral nutrition or physical activity that demonstrate significant knowledge or health impact in implementation and/or scalability. Submissions should provide a 200 word statement highlighting the study’s influence on policy, practice, community health, or scientific advancement. Awardees will be selected by the SIG Awards Subcommittee and announced at ISBNPA 2026 in Cadiz, Spain. Application portal will open January 1st 2026 and close April 17th 2026. Award application portal can be found here:

https://augusta.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8rfZNIlJjUyrQKa.

The following categories are offered:

PhD - currently enrolled PhD students
Early Career - up to five years post award adjusted for career disruption
Mid-Career - 5-10 years post award adjusted for career disruption

We look forward to receiving your nominations and to presenting the awards at ISBNPA2026.

Conferences and Webinars

International Society of Behavorial Nutrition & Physical Activity 2026

Cadiz, Spain (27-27 May 2026)

ISBNPA 2026

Look out for the Pre Conference Satellite Meeting hosted by the Implementation and Scalability SIG in Portugal, prior to the 2026 ISBNPA Conference

Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health (D&I Conference) – December 11–12, 2025, Washington, DC

Thank you for your interest in Implementation and Scale up research!

Feel free to forward this newsletter to other people who are also interested in Implementation and Scalability.

Implementation and Scalability SIG Team

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