Revolution/Evolution of Active Living Research: Perspectives from Interdisciplinary Grantees

The path that the Active Living Research (ALR) program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has taken over the past 10 years shows how a new transdisciplinary field has become established through evidence building, research translation, and community engagement. ALR’s multifaceted approach toward promoting environmental and policy approaches to increase physical activities among children and families 1 brought together researchers, policy makers, advocates, and practitioners from multiple fields that have traditionally worked separately. ALR’s main goal is to improve the health of the population by touching upon the daily lives of children and families through active living, but the ALR grants program has made many positive impacts on those involved in creating the research. This commentary shares three stories of ALR grantees whose careers developed closely with the evolution of ALR. The authors offer their personal reflections and insights for the future of ALR.