The American Journal of Preventive Medicine published a special theme issue highlighting discussions and recommendations from the July 2013 Built Environment Assessment Training (BEAT) Institute meeting. The BEAT Institute was developed to train investigators to use observational and self-reported measures of nutrition and activity environments, integrating the disciplines of nutrition, physical activity, obesity prevention, urban planning, and transportation. The 2013 meeting aimed to set an agenda for the future of the field and identify concrete products to be developed and disseminated. Expert participants discussed priorities, gaps, and promising opportunities to advance the science and practice of measuring obesity-related built environments. This themed collection from participants of the 2013 BEAT meeting takes stock of the progress to date in built environment assessment and interventions for obesity prevention, and looks ahead at important areas for future research, intervention development, and training.
Keywords: Community setting, Food outlet, Food systems, Geographic information systems, Home, Nutrition standards, Physical activity, Social media
Focus Areas: Food Access, Nutrition Policy & Programs
Resource Type: Special Journal Issue
Related Research
February 2025
More States and Sponsors Are Providing Grab-and-Go Meals to Children during Summer
In 2023, to respond to increased rates of child food insecurity during the summer Congress authorized states to opt in to allowing noncongregate, or “grab-and-go,” summer meal services for students in rural areas. In the summer of 2023, 46 states and DC opted in, and in the summer of 2024 all 50 states and DC MoreFebruary 2025
Consumption of the Food Groups with the Revised Benefits in the New WIC Food Package: A Scoping Review
On 18 April 2024, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published the first food package changes to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in over a decade, which reduced some food benefits (juice, milk, canned fish, and infant fruits and vegetables) and offered substitutes (cash-value vouchers (CVVs) or cash-value MoreJanuary 2025