Three types of scientific evidence to inform physical activity policy: results from a comparative scoping review.
OBJECTIVE
This paper presents a typology of available evidence to inform physical activity policy. It aims to refine the distinction between three types of evidence relating to physical activity and to compare these types for the purpose of clarifying potential research gaps.


METHODS
A scoping review explored the extent, range and nature of three types of physical activity-related evidence available in reviews: (I) health outcomes/risk factors, (II) interventions and (III) policy-making. A six-step qualitative, iterative process with expert consultation guided data coding and analysis in EPPI Reviewer 4.


RESULTS
856 Type I reviews, 350 Type II reviews and 40 Type III reviews were identified. Type I reviews heavily focused on obesity issues (18 %). Reviews of a systematic nature were more prominent in the Type II (>50 %). Type III reviews tended to conflate research about policy intervention effectiveness and research about policymaking processes. The majority of reviews came from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada.


CONCLUSIONS
Although evidence gaps exist regarding evidence Types I and II, the most prominent gap regards Type III, i.e. research pertaining to physical activity policymaking. The findings presented herein will be used to inform physical activity policy development and future research.
Institute of Sport Science and Sport, Friedrich Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany. alfred.ruetten@fau.de.
Alfred
A
Rütten
Institute of Sport Science and Sport, Friedrich Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany.
Diana
D
Schow
Division of Noncommunicable Diseases and Life-course, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark.
João
J
Breda
Division of Noncommunicable Diseases and Life-course, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Gauden
G
Galea
Physical Activity and Health Unit, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Sonja
S
Kahlmeier
Department of Nutrition, University Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6, Pitie-Salpetriere hospital (AP-HP), Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Paris, France.
Jean-Michel
JM
Oppert
Department of Public and Occupational Health and EMGO+ Institute, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Hidde
H
van der Ploeg
Department of Public and Occupational Health and EMGO+ Institute, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Willem
W
van Mechelen
D015444:Exercise; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D011050:Policy Making
Evidence; Health promotion; Physical activity; Policy; Scoping review