title: Advancing science and policy through a coordinated international study of physical activity and built environments: IPEN adult methods.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  National and international strategies to increase physical activity emphasize environmental and policy changes that can have widespread and long-lasting impact. Evidence from multiple countries using comparable methods is required to strengthen the evidence base for such initiatives. Because some environment and policy changes could have generalizable effects and others may depend on each country's context, only international studies using comparable methods can identify the relevant differences.
  
  
  METHODS
  Currently 12 countries are participating in the International Physical Activity and the Environment Network (IPEN) study. The IPEN Adult study design involves recruiting adult participants from neighborhoods with wide variations in environmental walkability attributes and socioeconomic status (SES).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven of twelve countries are providing accelerometer data and 11 are providing GIS data. Current projections indicate that 14,119 participants will provide survey data on built environments and physical activity and 7145 are likely to provide objective data on both the independent and dependent variables. Though studies are highly comparable, some adaptations are required based on the local context&period; CONCLUSIONS&colon; This study was designed to inform evidence-based international and country-specific physical activity policies and interventions to help prevent obesity and other chronic diseases that are high in developed countries and growing rapidly in developing countries.
authors.affiliation: University of San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
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authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sallis
authors.forename: Neville
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authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: Ilse
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authors.lastname: De Bourdeaudhuij
authors.forename: Ester
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authors.lastname: Cerin
authors.forename: Takemi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Olga
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authors.lastname: Sarmiento
authors.forename: Karel
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authors.lastname: Frömel
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mitás
authors.forename: Jens
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authors.lastname: Troelsen
authors.forename: Lars Breum
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.forename: Duncan
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authors.lastname: Macfarlane
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Salvo
authors.forename: Grant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schofield
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Badland
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guillen-Grima
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aguinaga-Ontoso
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bauman
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saelens
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Riddoch
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ainsworth
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pratt
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Terry
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authors.lastname: Conway
authors.forename: Kelli
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cain
authors.forename: Delfien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Van Dyck
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bracy
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D000328:Adult; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D016138:Walking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data