1. In the fifth area there are both: * inter-sectorial programs in support of Gaining Health about different aspects (best practices, regional training, communication-PInC) * projects relating to specific themes (promotion of healthy nutrition, physical activity, healthy nutrition and physical activity; prevention against tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking). PROMOTING HEALTHY LIFESTYLES: THE ITALIAN NETWORK OF PROJECTS IN PUBLIC HEALTH PREVENTION AND PROMOTION BACKGROUND The national project PInC-Programme of Information and Communication aims to activate awareness and empowerment processes to enable single individuals and the entire population make informed choices for healthy lifestyles. It supports the objectives of the European Programme Gaining Health (to make healthy choices easy by modifying unhealthy lifestyles and reducing risk factors of main noncommunicable diseases). De Mei B*, Barbariol P*, Bella A*, Cattaneo C*, Maggio Cavallaro G*, Dittami A*, Fantozzi L*, Lana S*, Perra A*, Possenti V*, Scardetta P* * Unit of Training and Communication, National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome OBJECTIVES According to its general goal, the first specific objective of PInC is to empower the collaborating network between institutions and projects related to the Programme Gaining Health and to the general health promotion. Thereby one achievement of PInC is to identify existing projects, initiatives and inter-sectorial agreements in support of the Programme Gaining Health and the national prevention Plan for common areas of activity and to create a network for adding value and integrating different communication actions, goal sharing among all involved figures. METHODS Health Communication to tackling noncommunicable diseases and unhealthy lifestyles. A “participatory approach” is used; unlike the one-way communication, it is based onto: clarity and full-transparency principles about objectives, proceeds activated and relations interactive exchange, listening, dialogue and integration among partners to facilitate the promotion of healthy lifestyles integrating and increasing the value of different activities within sharing goals and messages among involved actors. CONCLUSIONS This activity of recognition is foreseen by the communication plan that is a fundamental tool supporting Gaining Health both to make its objectives concrete and to facilitate and to empower the exchange between public health professionals or not and citizens (the real target of health promotion). RESULTS PInC has represented the network of projects which have been funded by the Ministry of Health/National Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and done with Regions, public health institutions and other partners. The representation showed below sums up relations among many different existing initiatives in public health prevention and promotion. Image 1. The Italian network of projects in public health prevention and promotion The research project “PInC-Programme of Information and Communication to support the objectives of Gaining Health” has been funded by the Ministry of Health / National Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (Chap. 4393/2007-Ccm). TP-MON-297 1. surveillance/monitoring, prevention and control (blue area, in the upper right corner of the image); 2. support to the national prevention Plan (green area, in the lower central part of the image); 3. communication and documentation (pink area, in the lower left corner of the image); 4. social welfare and assistance (violet area, in the lower right corner of the image); 5. support to the Programme Gaining Health (orange area, in the upper central part of the image). The represented projects refer to the implementation of activities in a number of five different areas: For more information contact: Barbara De Mei barbara.demei@iss.it +39 6 4990 4272barbara.demei@iss.it