Built environment interventions and physical activity levels: A systematic review.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Urban Planning
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a leading global cause of mortality.
• Physical activity is a crucial strategy for NCD prevention.
• The built environment influences physical activity, but evidence on interventions not primarily targeting activity is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if built environment interventions, not initially designed to promote physical activity, can effectively increase physical activity in adults.
• To synthesize evidence on the impact of urban built environment modifications on adult physical activity behaviors.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of scientific literature.
• Inclusion of studies focusing on modifications to the built environment in urban areas.
• Analysis of seven selected studies meeting predefined criteria.

Main Results:

• Seven studies met the inclusion criteria from a review of 5,605 articles.
• All seven studies reported increased physical activity levels in adults following built environment interventions.
• The interventions demonstrated a positive association with enhanced physical activity.

Conclusions:

• Built environment interventions can positively impact adult physical activity levels.
• Recommendations include enhancing study design specificity, intervention timelines, and objective measurement methods.
• Further research should clarify the mechanisms through which built environment changes influence physical activity.