[EQ] State of the Evidence Review on Urban Health and Healthy Weights

State of the Evidence Review on Urban Health and Healthy Weights

 

Canadian Population Health Initiative - 2008 Canadian Institute for Health Information

 

Available online PDF file [126p.] at: http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/dispPage.jsp?cw_page=GR_1929_E

 

"…….The relationship between urban environments and obesity has received little systematic attention. Our purpose was to review and synthesize the evidence on:

a) structural and community level characteristics of urban environments that promote or inhibit the achievement of healthy weights; and

b) the effectiveness of interventions to assist urban populations in achieving healthy weights.

 

Research findings were categorized and tabulated within a framework that examines social determinants of health and multiple levels of the environment (i.e. community-level vs. structural). Four outcome areas were considered: obesity/healthy weights, food/diet/nutrition, physical activity and sedentary behaviour.

The resulting analyses provide a high-level overview of the strengths of and gaps in the research on associations between urban environments and healthy weights. The report also identifies priorities for future policy-relevant research and presents the author suggestions for promising interventions that may help to reduce population obesity levels in urban places….."

 

Method for Literature Review

Extensive searches were conducted through numerous databases and documents across a variety of fields, including health, social sciences, urban planning and transportation; 65,929 titles were scanned, resulting in approximately 2,349 documents being retrieved, with 355 included in the final review.

 

Using two conceptual frameworks, ANGELO (analysis grid for environments linked to obesity) and SDEHP (social determinants of health and environmental health promotion), all documents were coded for relationships between types of environment (physical, economic, political, socio‐cultural) and levels of environment

(settings, sectors) and obesogenic behaviour (diet, physical activity, sedentary) or body weight.

 

Findings from these levels and outcome behaviours were summarized and crosstabulated with key article quality indicators to determine the strength of the evidence gathered for each section. To assist with putting the findings into context, an analysis of policy relevant documents was conducted, along with a survey of researchers and decision makers who attended a think tank on obesity in October 2005.

 

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Abstract

1 Project Background

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Statement of Purpose

1.3 Conceptual Framework

2 Methodology

2.1 Systematic Literature Review

2.1.1 Literature Search Strategy

2.1.2 Literature Title Scan

2.1.3 Literature Abstract Scan

2.1.4 Literature Full Review

2.2 Stakeholder Survey (Informed Opinion)

3 Results

4 Conclusions

Reference List

Appendix A: Project Flow Chart

Appendix B: Sample MEDLINE/HealthStar Search Strategy

Appendix C: Article Coding Form and Reference Guide

Appendix D: Online Stakeholder Survey

Appendix E: Bibliography of Assessed Literature

Appendix F: Bibliography of Policy Documents

Appendix G: Potential Policy Instruments Categorized Using the ANGELO Framework

Appendix H: Aggregate Results From Online Stakeholder Survey

 

PDF: http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/dispPage.jsp?cw_page=download_form_e&cw_sku=SEROUHHWPDF&cw_ctt=2&cw_dform=null

 

 

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