Health is influenced by many different factors. Historically, strategies to reduce lifestyle associated health problems such as overweight and obesity have focused on the traditional medical model of individual behavior modifications and treatment, without addressing the context in which behavioral choices are made. A more comprehensive approach targets individual as well as environmental and policy factors.

Individual factors are characteristics that influence behavior such as knowledge, attitudes, beliefs or personality traits. Typically, efforts to curb the problem of obesity have relied upon behavior change programs such as weight maintenance programs. While this is of importance, targeting individual behavior change can be time consuming and costly, and ultimately affects a limited number of participants.

By targeting efforts towards an individual’s support network such as friends, family, co-workers, and peers, behavior change is more likely. For instance, a program that teaches an individual to eat healthy will not have the same impact as a program that teaches the entire family how to shop and cook healthy.

Additionally, Organizational factors have the ability to constrain or promote recommended behaviors. Worksites and other organizations that implement rules, regulations, policies and informal structures regarding physical activity and nutrition have the ability to have a significant impact on the health of employees. For instance, a worksite or a church could create a policy that all foods sold or offered on premises had to meet certain healthy guidelines. To target physical activity, a worksite could create a policy that offered time off during the day to walk. These seemingly small changes can have a significant overall impact.

Community factors are social networks and norms which exist formally or informally among individuals, groups, or organizations. For instance, a community who values enhancing and maintaining public land for parks and recreations can encourage physical activity through advocacy. Community factors tend to mirror the wants and needs of a group and can be a powerful influence on behavior.