SNAP

Resources and further reading

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SNAP

Smoking

Quitline: Australian Government which provides access to a ‘cost of smoking calculator’
RACGP: Smoking cessation: - a guide for health professionals
Cancer Council: (4th edition)
US Department of Health and Human Services:
: Motivation for GPs to offer smoking cessation support
- : Motivational tool to help quit smoking
- Lung health checklist – http://lungfoundation.com.au/patient-area/checklist
- and identify whether diagnostic spirometry testing should be considered
Quit phone apps (applications):
- My Quitbuddy: Provides a countdown for quitting and stats to track quitting progress, such as number of days smoke-free, cigarettes avoided and money saved.
- Quit for you – Quit for Two: Provides support and encouragement to help patients give up smoking.

(Both can be downloaded from Apple iTunes online and Google play stores. Visit the for more information

Nutrition

Heartline (1300 36 27 87): Heart Foundation’s telephone service provides information on CVD management, nutrition and healthy eating, blood pressure, smoking cessation and physical activity, as well as a range of resources.
: An independent, member-based organisation that aims to promote the health and wellbeing of all Australians –
: A Government and NHMRC initiative designed to provide a range of information and resources on nutrition
: A lifestyle modification program designed to improve nutrition and physical activity and promote self-management for people who are overweight or obese with, or who are at risk of developing, a chronic disease
: Part of the Life! Program, a group-based healthy lifestyle program to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples make sustainable lifestyle changes, like choosing healthier food and drink and being more physically active
Food phone apps (applications):
- : NSW Health app designed to help make informed food choices when out and about –
- Foodswitch: BUPA app designed to find out what’s in packaged food to help make better choices when grocery shopping

Overweight and obesity

NHMRC: provides information on the management of obesity
: ‘Obesity’ webpage provides general information and facts relating to overweight and obesity
: A ‘one stop shop’ of information about healthy eating and physical activity for parents and carers, teachers and childcare workers, health and other professionals, and young children and teens
: An online professional development training to support health professionals to raise and constructively discuss child overweight and obesity with parents of overweight or obese children (free access to health practitioners in WA).
: A campaign targeting adults aged 25–64 that aims to raise awareness of the health effects of overweight and obesity and motivate and support individuals and families to make changes to adopt a healthier diet and more active lifestyle. The campaign was originally developed in WA and is now also being delivered in Victoria and the ACT
(WA) or (NSW): Provides evidence-based healthy lifestyle program for children aged 7–13 who are above a healthy weight, and their families. The program runs for 10 weeks .
Weight phone apps (applications):
- The 10,000 steps program has a phone application called ‘’
- from the Federal Government

Alcohol

Department of Health: –
: Provides free support to sporting clubs to change their culture and reduce high-risk drinking

Physical activity

Heart Foundation:
- : Large network of free community-based walking groups led by volunteer community members –
- : Designed to safely build strength and fitness, as well as improve balance, this program focuses on delivering low-to-moderate intensity exercise in small groups. Heartmoves caters for all adults and is specifically designed to be safe for people who have or are at risk of developing a chronic disease
: A Federal Government initiative to help Australians reduce their waist measurements and improve their overall health and wellbeing
: Formerly Kinect/VicFit, this organisation promotes physical activity, active living and the reduction of sedentary lifestyles by engaging with the fitness industry, building best practice instructor standards and program accreditation, and developing evidence-based physical activity initiatives
: A Federal Government website that provides a range of information and initiatives on healthy eating, regular physical activity and overweight and obesity
: A community-based exercise maintenance program for people who have completed pulmonary or heart failure rehabilitation
: Evidence-based resistance training program for people with, or at risk of, type 2 diabetes or other chronic diseases
: A tailored exercise and lifestyle management program for those with or, at risk of, diabetes or other chronic disease
Lifestyle modifications programs:
- : Lifestyle modification program funded by the Victorian Government and provided by Diabetes Australia (Victoria) that helps patients reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes and CVD, and encourages participants to adopt healthy behaviours and a more active lifestyle
- Aboriginal Life!: Aims to identify people at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes using the Diabetes Risk Test (type 2 diabetes risk assessment tool for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians) – call 1300 KOORIE (1300 566 743)
- : a free online, healthy lifestyle program designed by health professionals for people who are overweight or at risk of developing a chronic health condition and are seeking to live a healthier lifestyle
- The : See Nutrition section
COTA (Council on the Ageing) program
COTA SA
and have links in each state/territory to local physical activity events and programs
Physical activity phone apps (applications):
- : VicHealth app that helps people find physical activity opportunities in their local area

General

Australian absolute risk
: A website that provides a range of information and initiatives on healthy eating, regular physical activity and overweight and obesity
State based health coaching services – Refer to Chapter 4 for a list of some of the services available in Australia.
: Phone App designed to help locate Victorian health services

Medicare items and templates

Health assessments:
- A health assessment item under MBS can be utilised to undertake a comprehensive assessment of a patient with complex care needs. Health assessments can also be utilised with specific groups (eg. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, refugees and aged care residents) so needs are addressed in a targeted and culturally appropriate manner.
- The Department of Health has an for use in general practice. This includes a link to health assessment templates
- For for people aged 45–49 who are at risk of developing chronic disease
- For for people aged 40–49 with a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes
- For Healthy Kids and Get Set 4 Life (includes )
Management plans:
- GP management plans and Team Care Arrangements under Medicare’s CDM GP services (formerly Enhanced Primary Care) may be appropriate for patients with chronic and complex care needs. While they are not appropriate for patients who are merely ‘at risk’ of disease, they can be an important tool for managing risk factors and interventions for those patients who already have chronic medical conditions and complex needs.
- The has more information

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This guide has been designed to assist GPs and practice staff (the GP practice team) to work with patients on the lifestyle risk factors of smoking, nutrition, alcohol and physical activity (SNAP).

Organisations working with general practices, such as primary care organisations, public health services and other agencies that provide resources and training for primary healthcare staff, may also find this guide valuable.

The SNAP guide is based on the best available evidence at the time of publication. It adopts the most recent National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) levels of evidence and grades of recommendations. Recommendations in the tables are graded according to levels of evidence and the strength of recommendation.

The levels of evidence are coded by the roman numerals I–IV, while the strength of recommendation is coded by the letters A–D. Practice points (PP) are employed where no good evidence is available.