ORCID Profile
0000-0002-9014-7254
Current Organisation
University of Sydney
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Publisher: Human Kinetics
Date: 06-2021
Abstract: The International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH) is a leading global organization working to advance research, policy, and practice to promote physical activity. Given the expanding evidence base on interventions to promote physical activity, it was timely to review and update a major ISPAH advocacy document-Investments that Work for Physical Activity (2011). Eight investment areas were agreed upon through consensus. Literature reviews were conducted to identify key evidence relevant to policymakers in each sector or setting. The 8 investment areas were as follows: whole-of-school programs active transport active urban design health care public education sport and recreation workplaces and community-wide programs. Evidence suggests that the largest population health benefit will be achieved by combining these investments and implementing a systems-based approach. Establishing consensus on 'what works' to change physical activity behavior is a cornerstone of successful advocacy, as is having appropriate resources to communicate key messages to a wide range of stakeholders. ISPAH has created a range of resources related to the new investments described in this paper. These resources are available in the 'advocacy toolkit' on the ISPAH website (esources).
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Date: 02-2023
Abstract: Background : The development of policies that promote and enable physical activity (PA) is a global health priority. Laws are an important policy instrument that can enable enduring beneficial outcomes for in iduals, organizations, and environments through multiple mechanisms. This article presents a systematic process for mapping laws relevant to PA, which can be used to understand the role of laws as a powerful PA policy lever. Methods : Building on methods used in public health law research, we developed a protocol for scientific mapping of laws influencing the built environment for PA in Australia. The MonQcle online legal research platform was used for data coding, analysis, and presentation. Results : We describe the 10 key stages of legal mapping that we applied to examine state and territory laws that influence walking and cycling in Australia. Conclusions : Law is a neglected element of policy research for PA. There is a need for accessible legal data to drive the design, investment, and implementation of legal interventions to improve population PA. Legal mapping is a first step toward evaluation of such laws for PA. This paper provides a practical case study and guidance for the 10 stages in legal mapping of laws that influence the built environment for PA.
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Date: 10-2022
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 25-06-2018
DOI: 10.1002/DEV.21750
Abstract: Adolescence is thought of as a stress-sensitive developmental period. While many studies have compared adolescent responses to stress relative to that of adults, a growing body of work has examined stress responses in juveniles. Here we investigated if a chronic stressor has a differential effect on spatial memory in rats depending on whether it occurs during adolescence or the juvenile period. Male rats were exposed to the stress hormone corticosterone (Cort) in their drinking water, a vehicle control (2.5% ethanol), or water, for 7 days before being tested on a novel Object/Place task 6 days or 6 weeks later. Exposure to Cort or ethanol at either age impaired spatial memory at the 6-day test. The ethanol induced impairment was attenuated 6 weeks later. However, rats given Cort during adolescence, but not the juvenile period, were still impaired. Together, these results suggest that adolescence is indeed a stress-sensitive period.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 26-05-2023
Abstract: Scaling up established physical activity (PA) opportunities for broader population reach requires practitioners to carefully consider strategies implemented to recruit and attract new participants to their PA programs. This scoping review examines the effectiveness of recruitment strategies for engaging adults in organized (established and sustained) PA programs. Electronic databases were searched for articles published between March 1995 and September 2022. Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods papers were included. Recruitment strategies were assessed against Foster et al. (Recruiting participants to walking intervention studies: a systematic review. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2011 :137–137.) assessment of quality for reporting recruitment and the determinants of recruitment rates were examined. 8394 titles and abstracts were screened 22 articles were assessed for eligibility 9 papers were included. Three of the 6 quantitative papers adopted a combination of passive and active recruitment strategies and 3 relied solely on active strategies. All 6 quantitative papers reported on recruitment rates 2 evaluated the efficacy of recruitment strategies based on the achieved levels of participation. The evaluation evidence on how in iduals are successfully recruited into organized PA programs, and how recruitment strategies influence or address inequities in PA participation, is limited. Culturally sensitive, gender sensitive and socially inclusive recruitment strategies based on building personal relationships show promise for engaging hard-to-reach populations. Improving the reporting and measurement of recruitment strategies into PA programs is essential to better understand which strategies are attracting various population groups thus allowing program implementers to employ recruitment strategies best suited to the needs of their community while making efficient use of program funding.
No related grants have been discovered for Ben J Smith.