Physical Activity Moving Toward Obesity Solutions: Workshop Summary (2015) / Chapter Skim
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5 Policy Strategies for Promoting Physical Activity
5 Policy Strategies for Promoting Physical Activity
Pages 75-92
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From page 75... ...
Then, in the first session of the day, which was moderated by Ginny Ehrlich, Amy Eyler and Jamie Chriqui discussed policies aimed at promoting physical activity. Pate's introductory remarks, Eyler's and Chriqui's presentations, and the discussion at the end of their session are summarized in this chapter.
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From page 76... ...
Research on promoting physical activity typically has been theory based, Pate continued, with many different and, over the years, evolving theories being applied to the design and testing of interventions aimed at increasing physical activity. One widely applied theory is that of planned behavior, which, Pate explained, posits that intention to be physically active is a central construct.
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From page 77... ...
First, Pate noted, the literature offered strong evidence in support of community-wide campaigns as an informational approach to increasing physical activity, but less support for other informational approaches. Additionally, strong evidence was found for three types of behavioral and social strategies for increasing physical activity: school-based physical education, social support interventions in community settings, and individually adapted health behavior change programs.
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From page 78... ...
. Based on a compilation of evidence-based approaches to promoting physical activity, the plan provides a comprehensive set of policies, practices, and initiatives aimed at increasing physical activity in the U.S.
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From page 79... ...
Finally, they can coordinate efforts, particularly at the state level -- for example, through state laws that create councils or boards to share information and resources across activities. Like the definition of policy itself, the definition of physical activity policy is broad, Eyler continued.
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Barriers to physical activity policy in the health care sector, Eyler continued, stem not necessarily from a lack of support for "Exercise is Medicine" and other initiatives, but from a lack of priority. She observed that physicians and medical care systems are overwhelmed, and physical activity counseling is not a priority.
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From page 81... ...
She and her colleagues conducted a survey through the Physical Activity Policy Research Network to gain insight into Americans' support for physical activity policy. When asked whether their city should allocate funds for building or maintaining public transit, 65 percent of those surveyed responded "yes"; when asked whether they would support a tax increase to pay for the public transit, however, barely half said "yes." According to Eyler, many public transportation policies are ballot issues that require a majority to pass.
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From page 82... ...
Policies to build, maintain, connect, and update trails can facilitate this behavior. Promoting physical activity in the public sector is a matter of not just building and maintaining sidewalks or trails, Eyler continued, but also connecting them.
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From page 83... ...
Barriers include maintenance and liability issues and the facilities themselves. Physical Activity Policy in the Worksite Sector Given that the majority of Americans spend a great deal of time at work, Eyler observed that worksite policies offer a good opportunity to facilitate physical activity.
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From page 84... ...
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY POLICY IMPLEMENTATION AND IMPACT: A MULTISECTORAL REVIEW5 In her overview of research on physical activity policy, Jamie Chriqui focused on only some of the eight policy sectors highlighted in the National Physical Activity Plan, specifically those sectors for which more research has been conducted on public policies (or, as she referred to them, "big P policies") enacted at the state, district, and local levels: the education, transportation, and parks and recreation sectors.
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From page 85... ...
More important, in her opinion, in a study based on interviews with state officials, Chriqui and colleagues found that most state laws fail to address the amount of time spent engaged in actual physical activity -- particularly MVPA -- in PE (Carlson et al., 2013)
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From page 86... ...
found that policy requirements for physical activity time in after-school programs rarely are followed. But the biggest challenge, Chriqui opined, is that most after-school physical activity policies lack clearly defined benchmarks, making it difficult to measure and understand compliance and impact (Beets, 2012)
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From page 87... ...
With respect to complete streets policies, Chriqui observed that while such policies are diffusing nationally, as Eyler had described, with a couple of evaluations producing good results, the evidence base needs to be built. As part of her zoning study, she and her colleagues found that walking to work and use of public transit are higher in jurisdictions that require complete streets policies (Chriqui, 2015)
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From page 88... ...
In addition to more longitudinal work, Chriqui emphasized the need for studies on the collective impact of the range of physical activity policies. Most studies have focused on the education sector.
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From page 89... ...
Chriqui responded that her research is among the first to examine the association of zoning and land use laws with physical activity. While the research shows that people are more physically active in communities that facilitate active living, it is not yet possible to determine which comes first.
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From page 90... ...
At the state level, Eyler replied, it varies. Some state laws are very specific with respect to the amount and time of physical education, what physical education should include, or the amount of physical activity required on a daily basis.
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From page 91... ...
She encouraged advocates to work with policy makers to make slight changes in state laws such that the laws include not only mandatory time for physical education but also specific standards regarding what physical education should include. Physical Activity Policy in a Car-Based Society An audience member suggested that the "elephant in the room" was the fact that the United States is a car-based society.
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