A scoping review of published research on local government policies promoting health-enhancing physical activity

International audience; Policy is a powerful tool used to influence physical activity levels of populations. The World Health Organisation has specifically acknowledged the role of local governments in developing policies to promote Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA). However, scientific knowledge remains scant about the involvement of local governmental HEPA promotion policies. This scoping review aims to provide an overview of the scientific peer-reviewed literature emerging on local government policies promoting HEPA. Two researchers searched 7 databases to extract peer-reviewed research articles published in English between January 2006 and December 2018. A total of 28 articles were included; mainly from the USA (n = 15). Different types of HEPA policies, including those from local governments, were reported in this scoping review but they were usually not detailed enough to have a comprehensive overview of the aspects of interest for research and practice. Researchers used various methods in their studies; however, they were not systematically based on theoretical or conceptual frameworks. Findings extracted from articles in this scoping review indicated that inter-sectoral collaborations seemed to be a key factor to lead effective HEPA policies. Moreover, some specific local factors seemed to positively or negatively influence their development. Intensifying research on HEPA policies and in different contexts is now needed. Future research should be expanded to evaluate HEPA policies from adoption to implementation and maintenance and to evaluate health outcomes from such policies.