Environmental Nutrition and Activity Community Tool: A tool for promoting physical activity through organizational practice and policy change

Even with strong motivation, residents may find it difficult to be physically active when unsafe conditions and poor infrastructure for walking and biking are the reality in many neighborhoods. The built environment has a profound effect on physical activity opportunities in a community. Prevention Institute developed the Environmental Nutrition and Activity Community Tool (ENACT) to stimulate environmental and policy change at the local level in order to improve both opportunities for physical activity and access to healthy food, particularly in underserved communities.

Developed through a review of research literature and an environmental scan of efforts from across the country, ENACT offers an array of achievable actions for making improvements to food and activity environments in seven sectors including: communities, schools, preschool and day care sites, after school programs, workplace environments, health care, and government. ENACT's companion tool, the ENACT Local Policy Database includes more than 100 policies passed at the local level, including 70 policies that impact the physical activity environment. The ENACT tools serve as interactive and practical resources for community groups, health educators, elected officials, and others.

In this session, the presenter will introduce ENACT and show participants how to use this effective online tool to assess their local environments, prioritize strategies for change and use the resources provided as starting points towards policy implementation. Additionally, the presentation will highlight specific policies from the ENACT Local Policy Database that promote physical activity, including joint use agreements, land-use ordinances, and finance measures.