Built Environments And Child Health in WalEs and AuStralia (BEACHES): a study protocol

Abstract

IntroductionChildhood obesity and physical inactivity are two of the most significant modifiable risk factors for the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Yet, a third of children in Wales and Australia are overweight or obese, and only 20% of UK and Australian children are sufficiently active. The purpose of the Built Environments And Child Health in WalEs and AuStralia (BEACHES) study is to identify and understand how complex and interacting factors in the built environment influence modifiable risk factors for NCDs across childhood.Methods and analysisThis is an observational study using data from five established cohorts from Wales and Australia: (1) Wales Electronic Cohort for Children; (2) Millennium Cohort Study; (3) PLAY Spaces and Environments for Children’s Physical Activity study; (4) The ORIGINS Project; and (5) Growing Up in Australia: the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. The study will incorporate a comprehensive suite of longitudinal quantitative data (surveys, anthropometry, accelerometry, and Geographic Information Systems data) to understand how the built environment influences children’s modifiable risk factors for NCDs (body mass index, physical activity, sedentary behaviour and diet).Ethics and disseminationThis study has received the following approvals: University of Western Australia Human Research Ethics Committee (2020/ET000353), Ramsay Human Research Ethics Committee (under review) and Swansea University Information Governance Review Panel (Project ID: 1001). Findings will be reported to the following: (1) funding bodies, research institutes and hospitals supporting the BEACHES project; (2) parents and children; (3) school management teams; (4) existing and new industry partner networks; (5) federal, state and local governments to inform policy; as well as (6) presented at local, national and international conferences; and (7) disseminated by peer-reviewed publications.

The built environment and child obesity: A review of Australian policies

“…The Built Environments And Child Health in WalEs and AuStralia (BEACHES) study aims to identify and understand how complex and interacting factors in the built environment influence modifiable risk factors (body mass index, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and diet) for non‐communicable disease across childhood 41 . It is an observational study using data from five established cohorts from Wales and Australia.…”

“…Given the existing Australian cohort data have primarily been collected from Western Australia, the current sub‐study focuses on Australian and Western Australian government policy documents. Full details of the BEACHES study protocol have been previously published 41 …”

“…The B uilt E nvironments A nd C hild H ealth in Wal E s and Au S tralia (BEACHES) study aims to identify and understand how complex and interacting factors in the built environment influence modifiable risk factors (body mass index, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and diet) for non‐communicable disease across childhood. 41 It is an observational study using data from five established cohorts from Wales and Australia. The first phase of the BEACHES project involves engaging with stakeholders to undertake a policy landscape review to examine key built environment and child health‐related policies at national and local levels at each study site.…”