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.
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
DOI 10.1111/j.1468-0009.2009.00550.x
More from this paper
- Residing in walkable neighborhoods with good access to recreation facilities is associated with higher levels of physical activity and a lower likelihood of being overweight or obese.Good
- Living in neighborhoods with ready access to healthy foods (e.g., supermarkets) is associated with more healthful diets and lower prevalence of obesity, whereas high density of fast-food restaurants has weak or mixed evidence for causing obesity.Moderate
Related findings · Adherence
- Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity) reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by 20-30% and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25-35%.Strong
- Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
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 →