The chief aim of Active Living Research is to increase knowledge about active living by supporting research to identify environmental factors and policies that can increase physical activity and prevent childhood obesity, particularly among children in low-income and racial or ethnic minority communities.
Research from the fields of health, planning, transportation, and recreation is growing rapidly, and much can be learned from the studies to date. We have summarized conclusions from the existing literature and are pleased to present them here. We intend to update these summaries periodically, and briefs on specific topics will be posted as they are developed.
For your convenience, we have developed a menu of ALR briefs, summaries, and other key resources with brief descriptions and links for each resource. As you decide to incorporate evidence into your policy-making, practice, or advocacy work, this document can serve as a reference guide in determining which resources will be most relevant to you.
ALR Syntheses, Summaries, & Briefs
- The Physical Activity, Overweight and Obesity Among Latino Youth Research Brief [pdf], produced by Salud America!, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, summarizes research that examines environmental, socioeconomic and cultural factors related to physical activity and/or obesity among Latino youth. The brief also offers areas for future research and policy implications to reverse the obesity epidemic among Latino youth. (December 2011)
- The Do All Children Have Places to Be Active? Disparities in Access to Physical Activity Environments in Racial and Ethnic Minority and Lower-Income Communities Research Synthesis [pdf] examines the growing body of evidence indicating that racial and ethnic minority, and lower-income, communities do not provide as many built and social environmental supports for physical activity, and summarizes research on racial, ethnic and economic disparities in obesity and physical activity rates among children and adults. (November 2011)
- The School Policies on Physical Education and Physical Activity Research Synthesis [pdf] summarizes the peer-reviewed literature on school physical education and physical activity policies, and offers policy implications and areas where additional research is needed. (October 2011)
- The Supporting Physical Activity in School Fact Sheet [pdf] highlights evidence-based strategies for increasing physical activity during the school day and summarizes findings from studies that show how physical education, recess and activity breaks can help children be more active at school. (November 2011)
- The Preventing Obesity Among Preschool Children: How Can Child-care Settings Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity? Research Synthesis [pdf] reviews studies that have identified opportunities to promote a healthy diet and regular physical activity among preschool children. It also examines outcomes of research interventions designed to prevent obesity in child-care settings. (October 2011)
- The Parks and Recreational Programs Help to Reduce Childhood Obesity Policy Brief [pdf] summarizes research on the positive effects of increasing proximity to parks and recreational programs and offers policy recommendations to reduce childhood obesity in Los Angeles and elsewhere in the United States. (July 2011)
Produced by the University of California, Berkeley.
- The Disparities in Park Space by Race and Income Policy Brief [pdf] highlights research on how the unequal distribution of park resources affects low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, which have far fewer parks and recreational facilities than more affluent, White communities. Policy recommendations for increasing park equity are also provided. (July 2011)
Produced by the University of California, Berkeley.
- The Recreational Resources Promote Active Living Policy Brief [pdf] summarizes research that suggests lower-income cities in Los Angeles County offer considerably fewer recreational resources compared to cities that are predominantly White and more affluent. Policy recommendations for increasing recreational programs are included. (July 2011)
Produced by the University of California, Berkeley.
- The Funding Disparities for Local Parks and Recreation Resources in the Los Angeles Region Policy Brief [pdf] summarizes research on funding disparities for local park and recreational resources in the Los Angeles region and offers policy recommendations for ways to address the funding disparities to improve active living in low-income, minority communities. (July 2011)
Produced by the University of California, Berkeley.
- The Potential of Safe, Secure and Accessible Playgrounds to Increase Children's Physical Activity Research Brief [pdf] summarizes research on playgrounds and how playgrounds impact physical activity among children. (February 2011)
- The Power of Trails for Promoting Physical Activity in Communities Research Brief [pdf] highlights findings about specific trail characteristics that appear to attract regular users and examines how trails influence physical activity among various populations. (January 2011)
- The Economic Benefits of Open Space, Recreation Facilities and Walkable Community Design Research Synthesis [pdf] reviews the peer-reviewed and independent reports on the economic value of outdoor recreation facilities, open spaces and walkable community design, and focuses on "private" benefits that accrue to nearby homeowners and to other users of open space. (May 2010)
- The Parks, Playgrounds and Active Living Research Synthesis [pdf] summarizes the growing body of evidence concerning the role of parks in shaping active lifestyles across a variety of study populations, including children, seniors, lower-income families, specific racial and ethnic groups and other populations at high risk of being inactive. Areas where additional research is needed are also discussed. (February 2010)
- The Active Travel: The Role of Self-Selection in Explaining the Effect of Built Environment on Active Travel Research Brief [pdf] highlights research that shows that creating more traditionally designed communities may lead to increase in active travel and self-selection has a role to play. (Fall 2009)
- The Active Transportation: Making the Link from Transportation to Physical Activity and Obesity Research Brief [pdf] summarizes the latest peer-reviewed research that demonstrates the potential impact of infrastructure investments and other transportation programs on walking and bicycling for transportation, and on related health outcomes. (Summer 2009)
- The updated Active Education: Physical Education, Physical Activity and Academic Performance Research Brief [pdf] summarizes the latest peer-reviewed research on the relationship between physical activity and academic performance among children and adolescents. (Summer 2009).
- RWJF's Leadership for Healthy Communities has produced a policy brief titled Making the Connection: Linking Academic Achievement to Policies to Promote Physical Activity that discusses policy recommendations that promote academic achievement by incorporating physical activity in school-aged children. (February 2011)
- The Regional Response to Federal Funding for Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects Research Report explores the efficacy of federal funding for non-motorized modes of transportation through an analysis of patterns of spending across metropolitan regions, and provides an analysis of the impact of these investments on bicycling and walking behavior. (July 2009)
- The Local School Wellness Policies: How Are Schools Implementing the Congressional Mandate? Research Brief [pdf] summarizes results of the preliminary evidence on the implementation of local school wellness policies and presents data in three key areas: quality, evaluation and funding of the policies; nutrition standards and nutrition education requirements; and physical activity requirements. (June 2009)
- The Walking and Biking to School, Physical Activity and Health Outcomes Research Brief [pdf] summarizes the peer-reviewed research on active transport to school, physical activity levels and health outcomes, and explores the factors that influence walking and biking to school, including the impact of Safe Routes to School programs. (May 2009)
- The Growing Demand for Communities that Promote Health Research Brief [pdf] summarizes the peer-reviewed research on the impact of walkable communities to increase physical activity and improve health and indicates that consumer demand for these types of communities is increasing. (February 2009)
- The Designing for Active Living Among Adults Research Summary [pdf] provides a synopsis of current peer-reviewed research into the connection between the built environment and physical activity levels among adults. (Spring 2008)
- The Active Education: Physical Education, Physical Activity and Academic Performance Research Brief summarizes the peer-reviewed research on the relationship between physical activity and academic performance among children and adolescents. (Fall 2007)
- The Designing for Active Living Among Children Research Summary [pdf] provides a synopsis of the current research into the environmental factors and policies related to young people's physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns, and how these may be linked to obesity. (Fall 2007)
- The Active Living Research Briefing [pdf] summarizes peer-reviewed research about active living and activity-friendly environments and suggests ways to use the Designing for Active Recreation, Designing for Active Transportation, and Designing to Reduce Childhood Obesity Fact Sheets. (March 2005)
- The Designing for Active Recreation Research Summary [pdf] encapsulates the scientific studies from the health field about the types of environments that are "activity friendly." (February 2005)
- The Designing for Active Transportation Research Summary [pdf] addresses the current state of research regarding how community design impacts whether people walk or bicycle to get to where they're going. (February 2005)
- The Designing to Reduce Childhood Obesity Research Summary [pdf] is a round-up of the scientific studies about the potential to change children's environments in fighting the obesity epidemic. (February 2005)
Comprehensive, transdisciplinary studies, many funded by Active Living Research, are underway to develop and enhance our understanding of policy and environmental influences on physical activity.
CURRENT NEWSLETTERWe also provide many related literature citations that are searchable by topic area. A few influential papers are annotated for those interested in reading a brief overview of the research to date.
We would like to hear from you! Your feedback on the ALR research summaries will help us evaluate their effectiveness and distribution. Please email the program office at ALR@projects.sdsu.edu and tell us how you are using the documents.
