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The Community Guide Home Page

Promoting Physical Activity: Environmental and Policy Approaches

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Environmental and policy approaches are designed to provide opportunities, support, and cues to help people be more physically active. They may involve:

  • The physical environment
  • Social networks
  • Organizational norms and policies
  • Laws
  • Public health professionals, community organizations, legislators, departments of parks, recreation, transportation, and planning, and the media

Task Force Recommendations & Findings

This table lists interventions reviewed by the Community Guide, with Task Force findings for each (definitions of findings). Click on an underlined intervention title for a summary of the review, and where available, Research-tested Intervention Programs (RTIPs).

Community-scale urban design and land use policies Recommended
Creation of or enhanced access to places for physical activity combined with informational outreach activities Recommended
Street-scale urban design and land use policies Recommended
Transportation and travel policies and practices Insufficient Evidence
Point-of-decision prompts to encourage use of stairs Recommended



Disclaimer

The findings and conclusions on this page are those of the Community Preventive Services Task Force and do not necessarily represent those of CDC.

Sample Citation

The content of publications of the Guide to Community Preventive Services is in the public domain. Citation as to source, however, is appreciated. Sample citation: Guide to Community Preventive Services. Promoting physical activity: environmental and policy approaches. www.thecommunityguide.org/pa/environmental-policy/index.html. Last updated: MM/DD/YYYY.

 

 

 

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The Guide to Clinical Preventive Services

Together, the Community Guide and the Clinical Guide provide evidence-based recommendations across the prevention spectrum.

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Contact Us:
  • Community Guide Branch
    Epidemiology and Analysis Program Office (EAPO)
    Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services (OSELS)
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    1600 Clifton Road NE
    Mailstop E-69
    Atlanta, GA 30333
  • Community Guide
USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web PortalDepartment of Health and Human Services
The Community Guide Branch, Epidemiology Analysis Program Office (EAPO), Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services (OSELS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Mailstop E-69, Atlanta, GA 30333, U.S.A. communityguide@cdc.gov