ABSTRACT
Childhood obesity represents a serious national and international health problem, with one in four Australian children now classified as overweight or obese. Whereas physical activity has been recognised as an important element in combating childhood obesity, factors governing activity levels in children are poorly understood. Environmental factors, however, appear to play a key role in governing activity levels in communities and, as such, represent an important consideration for interventions designed to increase physical activity in children. Ideally, programmes targeting childhood obesity should encourage all children to be physically active and to provide them with an environment that is conducive to regular physical activity. The development and successful execution of such programmes is predicated on the identification of potential environmental barriers that prevent a physically active lifestyle and promote weight gain.
