The role of built environments in tackling obesity

The Heart Foundation is developing Australia’s first Clinical Consensus Statement on obesity and cardiovascular disease. This represents one of our first initiatives in a broader area of work which aims to holistically tackle the complex drivers and consequences of obesity and overweight as they relate to cardiovascular health. 

The Clinical Consensus Statement will be overseen by an expert Taskforce. Its development will be shaped by a targeted review of the current evidence base, alongside comprehensive input gathered through the recent National Stakeholder Forum. The Forum brought together key voices from across the sector to explore a holistic approach to addressing the growing burden of obesity in the context of cardiovascular health.

You can find out more about the Clinical Consensus Statement here: https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/media-releases/obesitThe role of built environments in tackling obesityy-cardiovascular-disease-consensus-statement-forum

It’s a timely opportunity to consider the role of the built environment.

Recent Australian research has shown that built environments have potential to enable greater levels of physical activity (PA), thereby reducing obesity and related health conditions.¹

The research notes: ‘To address obesity at its core, environmental approaches have been progressively explored as a means of providing supportive environments that facilitate healthier choices. The built environment is receiving increasing attention as a key environmental context that provides settings for health behaviors to occur… For instance, the food environment can constrain or facilitate access to and consumption of healthy and unhealthy food. Likewise, the availability and accessibility of PA facilities such as parks, sidewalks, and bike lanes can provide opportunities for PA.’¹

A key conclusion of the research is that ‘built environments that promote and support PA, have the potential to lower obesity among residents and create healthier communities’.¹

We look forward to continuing our important work to create environments and systems that enable healthy behaviours, helping combat overweight and obesity and improving heart health for all people living in Australia.

You can read the research in full here: Associations Between the Built Environment and Adult Obesity and the Mediating Role of Physical Activity: A Systematic Review - Shrestha - Obesity Reviews - Wiley Online Library

One of the paper’s authors, Dr Suzanne Carroll, co-authored our recent supporting module, Walkability in Less Advantaged Areas.

1.             Shrestha S, Turrell G, Dale Michael J, Carroll Suzanne J. Associations Between the Built Environment and Adult Obesity and the Mediating Role of Physical Activity: A Systematic Review. Obesity Reviews. 2025/05/19 2025;n/a(n/a):e13944. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13944