Creating Healthy Environments - a review of links between the physical enviornment, physical activity and obesity

This document comprises two parts: an Overview Report that provides an integrated summary of how physical environments can influence physical activity, nutrition and obesity; and a Technical Report that provides a review of public health research on this topic. The organisation of the document into these two reports represents the two stages in translating research into policy and practice. This translation process involves both a critical appraisal and review of research, and synthesis and integration according to the key concepts that are familiar to policymakers and practitioners. The primary aim of the Overview Report is to communicate key concepts and research fi ndings in ways that allow them to be applied to urban planning. The technical report provides a scientific update of current research findings and evidence to support the associations between urban environments and both physical activity and obesity.