IPEN Study

Background
Numerous US and international agencies have identified environmental and policy interventions as the most promising strategies for improving physical activity (PA), eating, and obesity.  The evidence base on environmental and policy factors is deficient in 3 important ways that the IPEN study will address: 
First, although the association between built environments and PA is widely accepted by authoritative groups like the CDC's Community Guide, accurate estimates of the strength of associations are not available because virtually all studies have limited environmental variability. If underestimated associations make it less likely that decision makers pursue built environment changes, then public health suffers.
Second, several studies document associations between the built environment and weight outcomes, but confirmatory studies are needed, especially those conducted in diverse environments. 
Third, measures are insufficiently detailed to give guidance about specific attributes of the built environment most likely to be effective interventions.

The IPEN study
To accurately assess the strength of association of the built environment with PA and weight status, greater environmental variability is required than any one country can provide. Thus, we have undertaken a ground-breaking international study, funded by the National Cancer Institute, which uses a common design and measurement protocol to produce more accurate effect size estimates. Because US-only studies are expected to underestimate effect size, this international study will provide additional information to US decision makers.
The IPEN study builds on completed studies in the US and Australia.  Additional countries were selected to collect new data based on the strength of investigators, preliminary studies, and in some cases, existing partial funding.  PA will be assessed by the validated long IPAQ survey, and built environment will be assessed by a validated built environment survey in all countries.  Pooled analyses will examine how specific environmental attributes are related to PA domains, leisure and transport. Most countries also will have objective measures: accelerometry for PA; Geographic Information System data for environmental attributes. 
All countries are selecting neighborhoods that vary on walkability and recruiting a minimum of 500 adults aged 20-65. Data will be entered via the web to a central server, and adherence to all protocols and data quality will be monitored. Analyses will account for multi-level data.

Participating countries

Please click on the following links to read more about IPEN research in these countries:
Australia
Belgium
Brazil
Canada (Calgary)
Canada (Edmonton)(coming soon)
Colombia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Hong Kong (coming soon)
Netherlands (coming soon)
New Zealand
Spain
Sweden (coming soon)
U.K.
U.S. (coming soon)

IPEN members from Brazil, Colombia, and USA