As the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and other official groups have recognized environmental and policy changes as promising strategies for controlling obesity and improving diet and physical activity, various measures have been identified for use by researchers and practitioners to plan and evaluate changes to the built environment. The Built Environment Assessment Training (BEAT) Institute trains participants to use these measures.
The BEAT Institute, hosted by the University of Pennsylvania, is now offering a new online course. The free online course is designed to teach investigators, practitioners, and anyone else with an interest in learning how to conduct audits of the built environment how to assess the built environment for physical activity.
Participants choose which modules they wish to complete and work at their own pace. If all 14 modules are completed, the course will take approximately four hours.
Modules focus on teaching skills to assess streetscapes, parks, and trails for physical activity. Participants will learn about the main variables found in most physical activity-focused built environment audit tools, with a more in-depth look at a few specific tools (IMI, ANC, PEDS, PARA, EAPRS & PEAT). Participants will also learn how to customize the tools and train others to conduct assessments.
For more information and to register for the course please visit: http://www.med.upenn.edu/beat/onlinetraining.shtml
Questions about the online course may be directed to: beat@zimbra.upenn.edu