Built environment in programs to promote physical activity among Latino children and youth living in the United States and in Latin America

• Published in: Obesity reviews Vol. 22; no. S3; pp. e13236 - n/a
• Main Authors: Sarmiento, Olga L., Rubio, María Alejandra, King, Abby C., Serrano, Natalicio, Hino, Adriano Akira F., Hunter, Ruth F., Aguilar‐Farias, Nicolas, Parra, Diana C., Salvo, Deborah, Jáuregui, Alejandra, Lee, Rebecca E., Kohl, Bill
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.06.2021; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Built environment; Case studies; Children; Context; Crime; Environmental indicators; Exercise; Indicators; Landscape design; Latin American youth; Latino children and adolescents; Network analysis; Obesity; Obesity Prevention Across Borders: The Promise of US‐Latin American Research Collaboration; Physical activity; Prevention; Road design; Social networks; Social organization; Supplement; Teenagers; Traffic safety; Urban environments; United States > US; Latin America; built environment; Latino children and adolescents; Latin American youth; physical activity
• ISSN: 1467-7881; 1467-789X
• DOI: 10.1111/obr.13236

Summary To prevent obesity among Latino youth in the United States and Latin America, it is necessary to understand the specific context and interplay of physical activity (PA) and the built environment (BE). This paper aims to advance the research agenda of BE and PA for obesity prevention in Latin America and among Latino youth in the United States by (1) identifying environmental indicators to inform the design of interventions and policy, (2) identifying interdisciplinary methodological approaches for the study of the complex association between BE and PA, and (3) presenting case studies of PA‐promoting BE programs. A group of U.S. and Latin American scientists collaboratively worked to propose innovative indicators of the BE, methodological approaches for the study of the complex association between BE and PA, and review case studies of PA‐promoting BE programs in both regions. The results identified gaps in knowledge, proposed environmental indicators (e.g., landscape, street design, mobility patterns, and crime and safety), reviewed methodological approaches (social network analysis, citizen science methods), and case studies illustrating PA‐promoting BE programs (i.e., play streets, active school transport, and school setting interventions). The obesity prevention among Latino and Latin American youth requires advanced research on BE and PA addressing context‐specific priorities and exchanging lessons learned.