In February 2013, I had the privilege of co-chairing the 10th annual Active Living Research (ALR) Annual Conference - Achieving Change Across Sectors: Integrating Research, Policy, and Practice - which brought together a network of individuals from research, policy, and practice to exchange data, experiences, and aspirations toward building a culture that promotes physical activity. The rich dialogue among attendees (representing dozens of fields) exemplified the commitment of many to design and implement evidence based public health strategies and policies to promote effective and sustained action. The resulting supplement brings together the latest research and practice on environments and policies that support active living. A significant number of these studies and ideas were supported by ALR funds. There are 12 original research studies covering parks, neighbourhoods, childcare, worksites and schools. They use a variety of strategies including policies, legislation and reforms. Also included are 8 practice briefs and commentaries, highlighting specific programs such as out of school time and environments like neighborhood streets. And the supplement also provides perspectives from ALR grantees who have been transformed through their own research. This collection of scholarship advances our understanding of the role of the built environment on active living and health. It is my hope that we continue to build on and translate the excellent evidence base that has been developed over the past decade to create environments and policies that promote “Active Living” for all. We can accomplish this by embracing the basic idea that evidence informs policy development and practice, and evaluating policy implementation and practice-based interventions generates new evidence. The cycle is continuous and we must all be engaged.

About the author

Christina Economos, PhD (christina.economos@tufts.edu) is the Director of ChildObesity180 and an Associate Professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition at Tufts where she conducts research and merges the best in public health research and practice with the expertise and experience of business, government, and non-profit leaders to prevent childhood obesity. Christina has a background in Nutrition Science and Applied Physiology.