Evidence-based intervention in physical activity: lessons from around the world

Abstract

Promotion of physical activity is a priority for health agencies. We searched for reviews of physical activity interventions, published between 2000 and 2011, and identified effective, promising, or emerging interventions from around the world. The informational approaches of community-wide and mass media campaigns, and short physical activity messages targeting key community sites are recommended. Behavioural and social approaches are effective, introducing social support for physical activity within communities and worksites, and school-based strategies that encompass physical education, classroom activities, after-school sports, and active transport. Recommended environmental and policy approaches include creation and improvement of access to places for physical activity with informational outreach activities, community-scale and street-scale urban design and land use, active transport policy and practices, and community-wide policies and planning. Thus, many approaches lead to acceptable increases in physical activity among people of various ages, and from different social groups, countries, and communities.

The effectiveness of interventions to increase physical activity among young girls: A meta-analysis

“…The overall effect size was small but significant, suggesting that behaviour change is possible in this population, but equally may be challenging. The size of effect is slightly smaller though broadly comparable to physical activity intervention effects shown across other age groups and settings (Heath et al, 2012). It is also similar to recent meta-analytic reviews assessing the effectiveness of interventions in young people designed to reduce their sedentary screen time (Biddle, O'Connell, & Braithwaite, 2011;Maniccia, Davison, Marshall, Manganello, & Dennison, 2011).…”

A systematic review of economic analyses of active transport interventions that include physical activity benefits

“…Active forms of transport, such as walking, cycling and use of public transport, have been recognised as possible avenues to increase the daily physical activity level s of populations through incidental exercise, providing an alternative to more traditional physical activity domains such as sport and exercise (11)(12)(13). Active transport is often referred to as utilitarian physical activity, as it involves walking, cycling or use of public transport for functional purposes.…”

Managing Sedentary Behavior to Reduce the Risk of Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease

“…As the small and large arrows demonstrate, the potential to increase daily physical activity, and in turn, decrease sedentary time, may be of greater magnitude for light-intensity activity than it is for MVPA. To date, efforts to influence participation in MVPA at the population level, such as through large-scale campaigns to promote walking, and other initiatives to encourage people to exercise during their leisure time have achieved only modest success [18]. There may, however, be untapped preventive-health and clinical management potential through shifting the high volume of time spent sedentary to light-intensity activity.…”