Ten years’ of Healthy Life Centres – research and directions for future work

Abstract

The Norwegian strategy to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has placed strong emphasis on individual counselling for change in health behaviors. Healthy Life Centers (HLCs) are now established in more than half of our municipalities. These centers are similar to what other European countries have called Exercise Referral Schemes (ERSs). The research evidence behind the development of this public health measure was both insufficient and conflicting, but we now have more than 10 years’ experience and research from Norwegian HLCs. What does this research tell us, and what consequences should this research entail?