The impact of urban gardens on adequate and healthy food: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impacts on food and nutrition-related outcomes resulting from participation in urban gardens, especially on healthy food practices, healthy food access, and healthy food beliefs, knowledge and attitudes. DESIGN: The systematic review identified studies by searching the PubMed, ERIC, LILACS, Web of Science and Embase databases. An assessment of quality and bias risk of the studies was carried out and a narrative summary was produced. SETTING: Studies published as original articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals in English, Spanish or Portuguese between 2005 and 2015 were included. SUBJECTS: The studies included were based on data from adult participants in urban gardens. RESULTS: Twenty-four studies were initially selected based on the eligibility criteria, twelve of which were included. There was important heterogeneity of settings, population and assessment methods. Assessment of quality and bias risk of the studies revealed the need for greater methodological rigour. Most studies investigated community gardens and employed a qualitative approach. The following were reported: greater fruit and vegetable consumption, better access to healthy foods, greater valuing of cooking, harvest sharing with family and friends, enhanced importance of organic production, and valuing of adequate and healthy food. CONCLUSIONS: Thematic patterns related to adequate and healthy food associated with participation in urban gardens were identified, revealing a positive impact on practices of adequate and healthy food and mainly on food perceptions.

Factors Associated with Home Meal Preparation and Fast-Food Sources Use among Low-Income Urban African American Adults.

This study aimed to assess the factors associated with home meal preparation (HMP) and fast-food sources use (FFS) frequencies of low-income African-American adults and their healthy food beliefs and attitudes, food-related psychosocial factors, food acquisition patterns, food sources use, and BMI. We used cross-sectional data from 295 adults living in Baltimore, USA. HMP was inversely associated with FFS, which had lower odds of HMP ≥1 time/day and higher BMI scores. HMP was positively associated with positive beliefs and self-efficacy toward healthy foods, getting food from healthier food sources, and lower FFS. Higher odds of HMP ≥1 time/day were associated with getting food from farmers' market and supermarkets or grocery stores. FFS had an inverse association with positive beliefs and self-efficacy toward healthy foods, and a positive association with less healthy food acquisition scores. Higher odds of FFS ≥1 time/week were associated with getting food from corner stores, sit-down restaurants, and convenience stores.

Práticas corporais/atividade física e políticas públicas de promoção da saúde / Corporal practices/physical activity and public policies of health promotion

A promoção da saúde, entendida como estratégia de produção social de saúde, deve articular e permear políticas públicas que influenciem o futuro da qualidade de vida urbana. Esse grande desafio envolve arranjos intersetoriais na gestão pública, empoderamento da população, desenvolvimento de competências e habilidades, capacitação, acesso à informação, estímulo à cidadania ativa, entre outros, para que a população reconheça seus problemas e suas causas, a fim de que ela possa advogar por políticas públicas saudáveis. Para esse propósito, é necessário que o governo operacionalize uma forma de gestão pública que considere a melhoria nas condições de vida, de trabalho e de cultura, estabelecendo uma relação harmoniosa com o meio ambiente, com o corpo que envolva a participação social na cogestão e na democracia. Nesse contexto, a inserção de um programa de práticas corporais/atividade física direcionada à população deve estar fundamentada em uma concepção da Promoção da Saúde apoiada em processos educativos que vão além da transmissão de conhecimentos. Ela deve estar focada no enfrentamento das dificuldades, no fortalecimento da identidade e na incorporação de soluções criativas e saberes saudáveis. Este artigo tem o objetivo de refletir sobre políticas de promoção da saúde relacionadas às Práticas Corporais/Atividade Física, além de apresentar um breve relato sobre o trabalho desenvolvido nessa área no município de São Paulo.

Health promotion, understood as a strategy for the social production of health, must articulate and permeate public policies which influence the future of the urban quality of life. This great challenge involves intersectoral arrangements in public management, population empowerment, development of skills and competences, qualification, access to information, stimulus to an active citizenship, among other factors, so that the population recognizes its problems and their causes, and is able to claim for healthy public policies. To achieve this purpose, it is necessary that the government puts into operation a form of public management which takes into account the improvement in life, work, and cultural conditions, establishing a harmonious relationship with the environment and with the body. This relationship must involve social participation in joint management and in democracy. In this context, the insertion of a program of physical activities and corporal practices directed to the population must be based on a conception of Health Promotion supported by educational processes that go beyond knowledge transmission. It must be focused on facing difficulties, on the strengthening of the identity, and on the incorporation of creative solutions as well as healthy learning. The main objective of this paper is to reflect on health promotion policies related to corporal practices/physical activity and to provide a brief description of the activities developed in this area in the city of São Paulo.