What works to promote walking at the population level? A systematic review

Foster, Charlie, Kelly, Paul, Reid, Hamish A B, Roberts, Nia, Murtagh, Elaine M, Humphreys, David K, Panter, Jenna and Milton, Karen ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0506-2214 (2018) What works to promote walking at the population level? A systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52. pp. 807-812. ISSN 0306-3674

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Abstract

Objective: Interventions to promote walking have focused on individual or group-based approaches, often via the randomised controlled trial design. Walking can also be promoted using population health approaches. We systematically reviewed the effectiveness of population approaches to promote walking among individuals and populations. Design: A systematic review. Data sources: 10 electronic databases searched from January 1990 to March 2017. Eligibility criteria: Eligibility criteria include pre-experimental and post-experimental studies of the effects of population interventions to change walking, and the effects must have been compared with a ‘no intervention’, or comparison group/area/population, or variation in exposure; duration of ≥12 months of follow up; participants in free-living populations; and English-language articles. Results: 12 studies were identified from mostly urban high-income countries (one focusing on using tax, incentivising the loss of parking spaces; and one using policy only, permitting off-leash dogs in city parks). Five studies used mass media with either environment (n=2) or community (n=3) approaches. Four studies used environmental changes that were combined with policies. One study had scaled up school-based approaches to promote safe routes to schools. We found mass media, community initiatives and environmental change approaches increased walking (range from 9 to 75 min/week).

Item Type: Article
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Health Promotion
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Epidemiology and Public Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Public Health and Health Services Research (former - to 2023)
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Lifespan Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Population Health
Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 13 Jun 2018 11:30
Last Modified: 03 Jan 2024 02:22
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/67355
DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-098953

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