Show simple item record

dc.contributor.authorPanter, J
dc.contributor.authorGuell, C
dc.contributor.authorHumphreys, D
dc.contributor.authorOgilvie, D
dc.date.accessioned2019-10-29T10:48:06Z
dc.date.issued2019-07-10
dc.description.abstractEnvironmental changes aimed at encouraging walking or cycling may promote activity and improve health, but evidence suggests small or inconsistent effects in practice. Understanding how an intervention works might help explain the effects observed and provide guidance about generalisability. We therefore aimed to review the literature on the effects of this type of intervention and to understand how and why these may or may not be effective. We searched eight electronic databases for existing systematic reviews and mined these for evaluative studies of physical environmental changes and assessed changes in walking, cycling or physical activity. We then searched for related sources including quantitative or qualitative studies, policy documents or reports. We extracted information on the evidence for effects (‘estimation’), contexts and mechanisms (‘explanation’) and assessed credibility, and synthesised material narratively. We identified 13 evaluations of interventions specifically targeting walking and cycling and used 46 related sources. 70% (n = 9 evaluations) scored 3 or less on the credibility criteria for effectiveness. 6 reported significant positive effects, but higher quality evaluations were more likely to report positive effects. Only two studies provided rich evidence of mechanisms. We identified three common resources that interventions provide to promote walking and cycling: (i) improving accessibility and connectivity; (ii) improving traffic and personal safety; and (iii) improving the experience of walking and cycling. The most effective interventions appeared to target accessibility and safety in both supportive and unsupportive contexts. Although the evidence base was relatively limited, we were able to understand the role of context in the success of interventions. Researchers and policy makers should consider the context and mechanisms which might operate before evaluating and implementing interventions.en_GB
dc.description.sponsorshipMedical Research Council (MRC)en_GB
dc.description.sponsorshipNational Institute for Health Research (NIHR)en_GB
dc.identifier.citationVol. 58, article 102161en_GB
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.102161
dc.identifier.grantnumberU106179474en_GB
dc.identifier.grantnumberPDF-2012-05-157en_GB
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10871/39363
dc.language.isoenen_GB
dc.publisherElsevieren_GB
dc.rights© 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/BY/4.0/).en_GB
dc.subjectSystematic reviewen_GB
dc.subjectPhysical activityen_GB
dc.subjectEvaluationen_GB
dc.subjectInterventionen_GB
dc.subjectEnvironmenten_GB
dc.subjectUrban designen_GB
dc.subjectCausalityen_GB
dc.titleCan changing the physical environment promote walking and cycling? A systematic review of what works and howen_GB
dc.typeArticleen_GB
dc.date.available2019-10-29T10:48:06Z
dc.identifier.issn1353-8292
exeter.article-numberUNSP 102161en_GB
dc.descriptionThis is the final version. Available on open access from Elsevier via the DOI in this recorden_GB
dc.identifier.journalHealth and Placeen_GB
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/BY/4.0/en_GB
dcterms.dateAccepted2019-07-02
rioxxterms.versionVoRen_GB
rioxxterms.licenseref.startdate2019-07-02
rioxxterms.typeJournal Article/Reviewen_GB
refterms.dateFCD2019-10-29T10:45:53Z
refterms.versionFCDVoR
refterms.dateFOA2019-10-29T10:48:11Z
refterms.panelAen_GB
refterms.depositExceptionpublishedGoldOA


Files in this item

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record

© 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/BY/4.0/).
Except where otherwise noted, this item's licence is described as © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/BY/4.0/).