, 1999 and Whincup et al., 2002). In this paper we describe the development process of a childhood obesity prevention intervention targeting primary school-aged children from this cultural group (the UK National Prevention Research Initiative-funded BEACHeS study). Specifically we reflect on the utility of a well-recognised complex intervention development framework tool (the MRC Framework; Campbell et al., 2000) as a means to ensure that contextual information is gathered and incorporated into the intervention design. This is analogous to stage find more 1 of the NIH Stage Model (Onken et al., 1997), which emphasises the importance of incorporating qualitative research methods into intervention

development. The stages outlined in the MRC Framework (Campbell et al., 2000) and also in the Stage Model (Onken et al., 1997) are akin to the sequential phases of drug development. The theoretical phase (preclinical/Stage 0) and modelling phase (phase I/Stage 1a) inform the development of behavioural interventions prior to feasibility or exploratory testing (phase II/Stage 1b), and precede the more definitive clinical trial and implementation phases (phases III–IV/Stages 2–5). In this study, the methodologies

employed were a literature review on childhood obesity prevention, focus groups (FGs) with local stakeholders, a Professionals Group meeting, and a review of existing community resources. Each of these is discussed in turn below. A further theoretical framework was used

to assist in the analysis MAPK inhibitor and application of the contextual data during the intervention development process; the Analysis Grid because for Environments Linked to Obesity (ANGELO framework; Swinburn et al., 1999). This framework guides users to categorise ‘obesogenic’ environmental influences into four types: physical, economic, political and sociocultural, and consider these categories at both local and macro-levels. Data arising from the literature review and the stakeholder FGs were mapped to this framework, which was then used to inform decisions on components to include in the final intervention programme. We systematically searched the Cochrane, MEDLINE and the NIHR Centre for Reviews and Dissemination databases for childhood obesity prevention systematic reviews and evidence-based guidelines to ensure that the developed intervention was coherent with the existing evidence. In addition, the following websites were searched: National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme, Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, and Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment. Publications up to the end of 2006 were included in the review. We dissected intervention programmes reported in the literature into their component parts.