Module 2: The Active Neighborhood Checklist (ANC) | People, Health & Place Unit – St. Louis

Learn how and when to use the Active Neighborhood Checklist (ANC) to assess the physical activity amenities of streets and neighborhoods.

Continuing BEAT Education

These materials are meant to be used for education and training purposes, and we welcome their use as part of other taught courses on public health, the built environment, and environmental assessment. Contact us if you are interested in incorporating this module into teaching or training.

Module Resources & Further Reading

ANC Protocols and Tool

Active Neighborhood Checklist – The Active Neighborhood Checklist is an observational tool designed to assess key street-level features of the neighborhood environment that are thought to be related to physical activity behavior.

Protocol for the Active Neighborhood Checklist – The Active Neighborhood Checklist protocol provides brief instructions on how to complete the checklist including operational definitions for key concepts.

Using the ANC in the Field

Active neighborhood checklist: a user-friendly and reliable tool for assessing activity friendliness – This study tests the reliability of the Active Neighborhood Checklist using street segments in St. Louis, Missouri and audits performed by a team of researchers and community stakeholders.
- Hoehner CM, Ivy A, Ramirez LK, Handy S, Brownson RC. Active neighborhood checklist: a user-friendly and reliable tool for assessing activity friendliness. Am J Health Promot. 2007 Jul-Aug;21(6):534-7. doi: 10.4278/0890-1171-21.6.534. PMID: 17674642.