title: Exploring the use of research evidence in health-enhancing physical activity policies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The gaps observed between the use of research evidence and policy have been reported to be based on the different methods of using research evidence in policymaking by researchers and actual policymakers. Some policies and policymaking processes may therefore be particularly well informed by research evidence compared to others. The aims of the present article are to explore the use of research evidence in health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) policies, identify when research evidence was used, and find what other types of evidence were employed in HEPA policymaking.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multidisciplinary teams from six EU member states analysed the use of research evidence and other kinds of evidence in 21 HEPA policies and interviewed 86 key policymakers involved in the policies. Qualitative content analysis was conducted on both policy documents and interview data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Research evidence was mostly used to justify the creation of HEPA policies and, generally, implicitly without citation. The policies analysed used many types of evidence other than citable research. The evidence used in HEPA policies was found to fall into the following categories: societal framework, media, everyday knowledge and intuition, research evidence, and other types of evidence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Research evidence seems to be the only type of evidence used in policymaking. Competition between the use of other types of evidence and research evidence is constant due to the various sources of information on the Internet and elsewhere. However, researchers need to understand their role in translating research evidence into policymaking processes.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland. riitta-maija.hamalainen@thl.fi.
authors.forename: Riitta-Maija
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hämäläinen
authors.affiliation: Unit for Health Promotion Research, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Niels Bohrs Vej 9, 6700, Esbjerg, Denmark. araro@health.sdu.dk.
authors.forename: Arja R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Aro
authors.affiliation: Tranzo, Scientific Center for Care and Welfare, Tilburg University, Postbus 90153, 5000, LE, Tilburg, The Netherlands. l.vandegoor@uvt.nl.
authors.forename: Ien
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: van de Goor
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Prevention and Health (RCPH), Capital Region of Denmark, Ndr. Ringvej 57, Afsnit 84/85, 2600, Glostrup, Denmark. cathrine.juel.lau@regionh.dk.
authors.forename: Cathrine Juel
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Unit for Health Promotion Research, Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Niels Bohrs Vej 9, 6700, Esbjerg, Denmark. mwjakobsen@health.sdu.dk.
authors.forename: Mette Winge
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Jakobsen
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Policy and Public Health, Babes-Bolyai University, Pandurilor 7, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. razvan.chereches@publichealth.ro.
authors.forename: Razvan M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Chereches
authors.affiliation: NHS England, 80 London Road, London, SE1 6LH, UK. ahmed.sy3d@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ahmed M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Syed
mesh_terms: D005062:European Union; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D015444:Exercise; D015438:Health Behavior; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D011050:Policy Making; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical