Behaviour/outcome | Units of measurement | Comment | Worse | No change | Moderate change | Substantial change | Evidence for choices |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Smoking status | Current smoker, ex-smoker, non-smoker | Ex- and non-smoker became a smoker | No change to current smokers smoking status | n/a | From initial smoker status becomes ex-smoker at follow-up | ||
Smoking amount | How many smoked per day (including cigarettes, roll-ups, cigars, pipes)? | Only relevant to current smokers | Increased number smoked per day at follow-up | No change to number smoked per day at follow-up | ≥50 % reduction to number smoked per day at follow-up | From initial smoker status becomes ex-smoker at follow-up | NICE (2013) guidance on harm reduction for tobaccoa |
Alcohol status | Drink alcohol? Most weeks, Occasion-ally, No | Non-drinker became occasional/most weeks drinker OR Occasional drinker became most weeks drinker | No change to current drinking status | Occasional drinker becomes non-drinker OR | Most weeks drinker becomes occasional or non-drinker | Recommendation from the European Code Against Cancerb | |
Alcohol units | Most units drunk per day | Only relevant to current drinkers | Increased number of units per day at follow-up | No change to units drunk | Some reduction—≤50 % in units drunk per day at follow-up | Drinker exceeding daily limit at baseline is under daily limit at follow-up (i.e. ≤4 units per day) OR ≥50 % reduction in units drunk per day at follow-up | Alcohol unit guidelines from UK Governmentc |
Alcohol units | Total units drunk per week | Only relevant to current drinkers | Increased number of units per day at follow-up | No change to units drunk | Some reduction—≤ 50 % in units drunk per week at follow-up | Drinker exceeding weekly limit at baseline is under weekly limit at follow-up (i.e. ≤21 units per week) OR ≥50 % reduction in units drunk per week at follow-up | Alcohol unit guidelines from UK Governmentc |
Weight loss | % weight loss (in kg) | All men—but particularly relevant to overweight/obese men | Increase in weight | No change to weight | Some reduction in weight (<5 % at follow-up) | Reduction in weight is ≥5 % at follow-up | Research showing a 5 % reduction in weight leads to health benefitd |
Body mass index | BMI (i.e. weight (kg)/height (m2)) | All men—but particularly relevant to overweight/obese men | Increase in BMI | No change to BMI | Reduction in BMI maps onto a <5 % reduction in weight at follow-up | Change in BMI category (i.e. from Obese to overweight or from overweight to healthy weight range) OR Reduction in BMI maps onto a ≥5 % reduction in weight at follow-up | Research showing a 5 % reduction in weight leads to health benefitd |
Physical activity (cardiovascular) | Number of days active for at least 30 min (≥moderate intensity) | All men | Any reduction in number of active days (CV) | No change to number of active days (MS) | Increase in number of active days (CV) by 1 | Increase in number of active days (CV) by >1 day OR Achieves weekly physical activity (CV) guidelines day at follow-up (only those not achieving them at baseline) | UK physical activity guidelines for adultse |
Physical activity (muscle strengthening) | Number of days any muscle strengthening activity | All men | Any reduction in number of active days (MS) | No change to number of active days (MS) | Increase in number of active days (MS) by 1 | Increase in number of active days (MS) by >1 day OR Achieves weekly physical activity (MS) guidelines day at follow-up (only those not achieving them at baseline) | UK physical activity guidelines for adultse |
Fruit and vegetable intake | Total daily portions of fruit and vegetables | All men | Any reduction in number of fruits and vegetables eaten | No change to number of fruits and vegetables eaten | Increase in portions of fruits and vegetable by 1 per day | Increase in portions of fruits and vegetable by >1 per day OR Achieves five portions FV per day at follow-up (only those not achieving 5 a day at baseline) | Current NHS guidance plus research evidencef |