Nudges are used to alter lifestyles and thus curb the rise of non-communicable diseases. Physical activity is a core prevention strategy to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases. This paper aims to (1) give an overview of the scope of interventions using choice architecture techniques to promote physical activity at the population levels and (2) identify research gaps by analysing the different approaches in terms of class and type of intervention used. A systematic electronic database search was combined with snowball citation sampling of a starter set of publications to search for studies published through October 2018 reporting interventions to promote physical activity at the population level using choice architecture techniques. The methodology of the Joanna Briggs Institute for Scoping Reviews was applied. In all, 35 publications were included. Most of the interventions used point-of-choice prompts tested at railway stations, shopping malls and airports (N = 27). Eight studies were online studies. While all studies were aimed at the general population, details, if reported at all, were vague and basic. All studies focused on individual-level lifestyle behaviour. None of the studies attempted to alter population-based lifestyle behaviour. Online and “real-world” approaches were rarely combined. Neither, interventions targeting meso- and macro-level structures nor combinations of individual-level and specific meso- or macro-level interventions were found. Nudging is in principle an effective approach to promote physical activity within the general population. However, there are large gaps in research. Available opportunities have not yet been exhausted. Further research is needed that is explicitly based on behavioural insights and covering the full range of nudging approaches, particularly focussing on theoretical developments, practical feasibility tests and scale-up activities.

Background: A supportive environment is a key factor in addressing the issue of health among older adults. There is already sufficient evidence that objective and self-reported measures of the neighborhood environment should be taken into account as crucial components of active aging, as they have been shown to influence physical activity; particularly in people aged 60+. Thus, both could inform policies and practices that promote successful aging in place. An increasing number of studies meanwhile consider these exposures in analyzing their impact on physical activity in the elderly. However, there is a wide variety of definitions, measurements and methodological approaches, which complicates the process of obtaining comparable estimates of the effects and pooled results. The aim of this review was to identify and summarize these differences in order to emphasize methodological implications for future reviews and meta analyzes in this field and, thus, to create a sound basis for synthesized evidence.Methods: A systematic literature search across eight databases was conducted to identify peer-reviewed articles examining the association of objective and perceived measures of the neighborhood environment and objectively measured or self-reported physical activity in adults aged ≥ 60 years. Two authors independently screened the articles according to predefined eligibility criteria, extracted data, and assessed study quality. A qualitative synthesis of the findings is provided.Results: Of the 2967 records retrieved, 35 studies met the inclusion criteria. Five categories of methodological approaches, numerous measurement instruments to assess the neighborhood environment and physical activity, as well as several clusters of definitions of neighborhood, were identified.Conclusions: The strength of evidence of the associations of specific categories of environmental attributes with physical activity varies across measurement types of the outcome and exposures as well as the physical activity domain observed and the operationalization of neighborhood. The latter being of great importance for the targeted age group. In the light of this, future reviews should consider these variations and stratify their summaries according to the different approaches, measures and definitions. Further, underlying mechanisms should be explored.

The paper introduces the theoretical framework and methods/instruments used by the Physical Activity and Health Equity: Primary Prevention for Healthy Ageing (AEQUIPA) prevention research network as an interdisciplinary approach to tackle key challenges in the promotion of physical activity among older people (65+). Drawing on the social-ecological model, the AEQUIPA network developed an interdisciplinary methodological design including quantitative/qualitative studies and systematic reviews, while combining expertise from diverse fields: public health, psychology, urban planning, sports sciences, health technology and geriatrics. AEQUIPA tackles key challenges when promoting physical activity (PA) in older adults: tailoring of interventions, fostering community readiness and participation, strengthening intersectoral collaboration, using new technological devices and evaluating intervention generated inequalities. AEQUIPA aims to strengthen the evidence base for age-specific preventive PA interventions and to yield new insights into the explanatory power of individual and contextual factors. Currently, the empirical work is still underway. First experiences indicate that thenetwork has achieved a strong regional linkage with communities, local stakeholders and individuals. However, involving inactive persons and individuals from minority groups remained challenging. A review of existing PA intervention studies among the elderly revealed the potential to assess equity effects. The results will add to the theoretical and methodological discussion on evidence-based age-specific PA interventions and will contribute to the discussion about European and national health targets.