Table 2.

Overview of lifestyle education group sessions

1. Welcome

2. What are cardiovascular diseases (stroke, ischemic heart diseases) and diabetes? Goal: to increase information and awareness. Method: short video films followed by a brief discussion. (Animation and spoken word).

3. What are the main risk factors? Goal: to increase information and awareness. The group is divided in 3 subgroups. Each group writes down the risk factor of 1 of the 3 diseases they know on a paper. The physician or nurse discusses the results. A quiz about the main risk factors; smoking, lack of exercise, and diet (salt, fat, high energy). Correct answers and some extra information are provided by video.

4. 6-min walking test. Material: numbers, a flat track of 50 m marked by a line at the start and turning point. Marks on every 10 m on the track. Chronometer, whistle. Instruction: walk, not run, the maximum distance in 6 min. Give a time indication every minute: still 5 min left … , 4 min left … , 3 min left …. , 2 min left … , 1 min left … STOP. Participants stop and remain at their place. Moderator counts each passages at the starting point, each time 100 m, and add the distance of the last round. Goal: to provide a quick, approximate measurement of physical fitness [20–21].

5. What are my personal risk factors? Method: place 4 large pieces of paper at each corner of the room: (i) lack of physical exercise, (ii) smoking, (iii) high dietary salt, and (iv) overweight. Participants put their name on each piece of paper, as appropriate.

6. Personal plan for change. What is the risk factor I will work on? What action will I take (when, how, where)? Do I need support to reach my goal from the CHSC or community? Write the details on paper, 1 to keep yourself and 1 for the administration of the CHSC.

7. Each participant tells the group in one 1 min about her/his plan. Moderator asks additional questions to make plan more concrete.

8. End. Fill in database. (Date, 6-min walking test and lifestyle intervention of choice.)