Research
Adherence
Multilevel interventions that combine environmental/policy changes with individual education and social support are more effective than individual-focused interventions alone.
Support community-level policies that make healthy choices easier (like better school lunches or walkable parks) while also engaging in personal health education. Recognize that individual effort is amplified by supportive environments, and advocate for systemic changes in your community.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Diet and physical activity interventions that build knowledge, motivation, and behavior change skills in individuals without changing the environments in which they live are unlikely to be effective. Similarly, merely changing the physical activity or the food environment may not be sufficient for a substantial change in behavior.
Why this rating
Based on ecological models and the collective wisdom of expert organizations, with some supporting studies like the School Nutrition Policy Initiative.
Source
Physical Activity and Food Environments: Solutions to the Obesity Epidemic
James F. Sallis et al. · Milbank Quarterly · 2009
narrative_reviewCited 715×
Read the paper This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →