Using remote sensing to define environmental characteristics related to physical activity and dietary behaviours: a systematic review (the SPOTLIGHT project)

H Charreire; J D Mackenbach; M Ouasti; J Lakerveld; S Compernolle; M Ben-Rebah; M McKee; J Brug; H Rutter; J-M Oppert

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2013.09.017

Using remote sensing to define environmental characteristics related to physical activity and dietary behaviours: a systematic review (the SPOTLIGHT project)

Health Place. 2014 Jan:25:1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2013.09.017. Epub 2013 Oct 23.

Authors

H Charreire¹, J D Mackenbach², M Ouasti³, J Lakerveld², S Compernolle⁴, M Ben-Rebah³, M McKee⁵, J Brug², H Rutter⁵, J-M Oppert⁶

Affiliations

¹ UREN (Nutritional Epidemiology Research Unit), Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Inserm (U557), Inra (U1125), Cnam, F-93017 Bobigny, France; Paris Est University, Lab-Urba Urban Institute of Paris, UPEC, Créteil, France.
² The EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Department of General Practice and Elderly Care, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
³ UREN (Nutritional Epidemiology Research Unit), Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Inserm (U557), Inra (U1125), Cnam, F-93017 Bobigny, France.
⁴ Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
⁵ European Centre on Health of Societies in Transition, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
⁶ UREN (Nutritional Epidemiology Research Unit), Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Inserm (U557), Inra (U1125), Cnam, F-93017 Bobigny, France; Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6 University, Department of Nutrition Pitié-Salpetrière (AP-HP), Paris, France. Electronic address: jean-michel.oppert@psl.aphp.fr.

PMID: 24211730
DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2013.09.017

Abstract

We performed a systematic literature review on the use of free geospatial services as potential tools to assess built environmental characteristics related to dietary behaviour and physical activity. We included 13 studies, all published since 2010 and conducted in urban contexts, with Google Earth and Google Street View as the two main free geospatial services used. The agreement between virtual and field audit was higher for items related to objectively verifiable measures (e.g. presence of infrastructure and equipment) and lower for subjectively assessed items (e.g. aesthetics, street atmosphere, etc.). Free geospatial services appear as promising alternatives to field audit for assessment of objective dimensions of the built environment.

Keywords: Dietary behavior; Environment; Free geospatial services; Physical activity; Remote sensing.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Cities
Diet / psychology*
Environment Design*
Humans
Motor Activity*
Remote Sensing Technology
Residence Characteristics