▪ Abstract The thesis of this article is that multilevel interventions based on ecological models and targeting individuals, social environments, physical environments, and policies must be implemented to achieve population change in physical activity. A model is proposed that identifies potential environmental and policy influences on four domains of active living: recreation, transport, occupation, and household. Multilevel research and interventions require multiple disciplines to combine concepts and methods to create new transdisciplinary approaches. The contributions being made by a broad range of disciplines are summarized. Research to date supports a conclusion that there are multiple levels of influence on physical activity, and the active living domains are associated with different environmental variables. Continued research is needed to provide detailed findings that can inform improved designs of communities, transportation systems, and recreation facilities. Collaborations with policy resear...

https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.27.021405.102100

An ecological approach to creating active living communities.

Research in transportation, urban design, and planning has examined associations between physical environment variables and individuals' walking and cycling for transport. Constructs, methods, and findings from these fields can be applied by physical activity and health researchers to improve understanding of environmental influences on physical activity. In this review, neighborhood environment characteristics proposed to be relevant to walking/cycling for transport are defined, including population density, connectivity, and land use mix. Neighborhood comparison and correlational studies with nonmotorized transport outcomes are considered, with evidence suggesting that residents from communities with higher density, greater connectivity, and more land use mix report higher rates of walking/cycling for utilitarian purposes than low-density, poorly connected, and single land use neighborhoods. Environmental variables appear to add to variance accounted for beyond sociodemographic predictors of walking/cycling for transport. Implications of the transportation literature for physical activity and related research are outlined. Future research directions are detailed for physical activity research to further examine the impact of neighborhood and other physical environment factors on physical activity and the potential interactive effects of psychosocial and environmental variables. The transportation, urban design, and planning literatures provide a valuable starting point for multidisciplinary research on environmental contributions to physical activity levels in the population.

Environmental correlates of walking and cycling: Findings from the transportation, urban design, and planning literatures

Dissecting obesogenic environments: the development and application of a framework for identifying and prioritizing environmental interventions for obesity.

https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1243&context=sspapers

Environmental factors associated with adults' participation in physical activity: a review

▪ Abstract Obesity has increased dramatically over the past two decades and currently about 50% of US adults and 25% of US children are overweight. The current epidemic of obesity is caused largely by an environment that promotes excessive food intake and discourages physical activity. This chapter reviews what is known about environmental influences on physical activity and eating behaviors. Recent trends in food supply, eating out, physical activity, and inactivity are reviewed, as are the effects of advertising, promotion, and pricing on eating and physical activity. Public health interventions, opportunities, and potential strategies to combat the obesity epidemic by promoting an environment that supports healthy eating and physical activity are discussed.

Environmental Influences on Eating and Physical Activity

The majority of Americans remain inactive despite evidence of significant health benefits from even moderately intense activity. Previous intervention efforts have generally focused on changing individual behavior. This article discusses the use of policy, legislative and regulatory, and environmental interventions in promoting physical activity to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) and other chronic diseases. The authors present evidence on the need, formulation, description, and effectiveness of policy and environmental intervention approaches. Types of approaches addressed to promote physical activity include federal, state, and local legislation and regulation, policy development and implementation, and environmental support. They also describe opportunities for state and local health departments to initiate and participate in environmental and policy approaches.

Environmental and Policy Approaches to Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Through Physical Activity: Issues and Opportunities

State Health Agencies play a critical role in the Nation's efforts for health promotion and disease prevention. This role is especially critical in efforts to reduce the burden of CVD through community-based programs. Resources SHAs need to facilitate implementation of community-based CVD prevention programs fall into three general categories: (a) Adequate time to plan, carry out and evaluate, (b) Financial resources to support staff, community organization and demonstration programs, and (c) Personnel with requisite technical expertise, skills and technological resources. Six critical activities for building state-level CVD program capacity include: (1) Forming a statewide CVD oversight committee, (2) Developing a state CVD plan, (3) Developing quality assurance standards and guidelines, (4) Developing new paradigms of community assessment and evaluation, (5) Planning for institutionalization, and (6) Translation of research to application. SHA roles vary from direct service delivery to serving as a linking agent, transferring information and resources and coordinating efforts between agencies.

Capacity building and resource needs of state health agencies to implement community-based cardiovascular disease programs.

Large, well-funded, community heart health programs (CHHPs) have successfully focused on improving the cardiovascular health status of entire communities. CHHPs attempt to reduce the prevalence of risk factors associated with high rates of coronary heart disease mortality: high blood pressure, elevated serum cholesterol, smoking, overweight, and sedentary lifestyle. Program components include community organization, needs assessment, priority and evaluation, and program maintenance. Organizing the community, assessing needs and resources, and setting priorities generally occur concurrently, followed by implementing interventions. CHHP activities include social marketing, direct behavior-change efforts (including skills training, health education, and contingency management), screening (including counseling and referral), and policy and environmental change. Because State-sponsored efforts will seldom have the resources of federally-funded demonstration projects, they must pay particular attention to the "3 As" of community interventions: affordability, acceptability, and adequacy. Attention to these principles and the critical program components outlined in this paper facilitate the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of the next generation of CHHPs.

Sonja Hedlund

Papers

Environmental and Policy Approaches to Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Through Physical Activity: Issues and Opportunities

Capacity building and resource needs of state health agencies to implement community-based cardiovascular disease programs.

Community heart health programs: components, rationale, and strategies for effective interventions.