Human Environments Analysis Lab (HEAL)
The Human Environments Analysis Laboratory is a state-of-the-art, multi-disciplinary research and training environment based at Western University which specializes in the production, evaluation, synthesis, dissemination and mobilization of evidence to support effective policies, programs and professional practice aimed at creating healthy and vibrant communities.
HEAL specializes in applications of geographic information science (GIS) for addressing critical planning and public health issues.The lab also specializes in community-based research and strives to build authentic and mutually-beneficial partnerships with local community organizations, especially non-profits and charities.
Visit the Human Environments Analysis Lab website for additional information.
Submissions from 2020
Infants’ and toddlers’ physical activity and sedentary time as measured by accelerometry: a systematic review and meta-analysis,, Brianne Bruijns, Stephanie Truelove, Andrew M. Johnson, Jason A. Gilliland, and Patricia Tucker
Enacting agency: exploring how older adults shape their neighbourhoods, Carrie Hand, Debbie Laliberte Rudman, Suzanne Huot, Rachel Pack, and Jason A. Gilliland
Assessing the effectiveness of a naturally occurring population-level physical activity intervention for children, C. Smith, A. F. Clark, P. Wilk, P. Tucker, and J. A. Gilliland
Food for thought: Comparing self-reported versus curbside measurements of household food wasting behavior and the predictive capacity of behavioral determinants, Paul van der Werf, Jamie A. Seabrook, and Jason A. Gilliland
Submissions from 2019
Conceptualizing Youth Participation in Children’s Health Research: Insights from a Youth-Driven Process for Developing a Youth Advisory Council, Krishna Arunkumar, Drew Bowman, Stephanie Coen, Mohammad El-Bagdady, Christina R. Ergler, Jason A. Gilliland, Ahad Mahmood, and Suraj Paul
Predictors of drug use during pregnancy: The relative effects of socioeconomic, demographic, and mental health risk factors, R. A. Brown, H. Dakkak, Jason A. Gilliland, and Jamie A. Seabrook
Promoting active school travel in elementary schools: A regional case study of the school travel planning intervention, Adrian N, Buttazzoni; Andrew F. Clark; Jamie A. Seabrook; and Jason A. Gilliland
If You Make it Free, Will They Come? Using a Physical Activity Accessibility Model to Understand the Use of a Free Children’s Recreation Pass, Andrew F. Clark, Johanna Campbell, Patricia Tucker, Piotr Wilk, and Jason A. Gilliland
Comparing Physical Activity Behavior of Children During School Between Balanced and Traditional School Day Schedules, Andrew F. Clark, Piotr Wilk, and Jason A. Gilliland
‘I like the “outernet” stuff:’ girls’ perspectives on physical activity and their environments, Stephannie Coen, Christine Mitchell, Suzanne Tillmann, and Jason A. Gilliland
The Impact of Canadian School Food Programs on Children’s Nutrition and Health: A Systematic Review, Paige Colley, Bronia Myer, Jamie A. Seabrook, and Jason A. Gilliland
A comparative analysis of the restaurant consumer food environment in Rochester (NY, USA) and London (ON, Canada): assessing children’s menus by neighbourhood socio-economic characteristics, Catherine DuBreck, Richard C. Sadler, Godwin Arku, Jamie A. Seabrook, and Jason A. Gilliland
Is active travel a breath of fresh air? Examining children's exposure to air pollution during the school commute, Jason A. Gilliland, Matthew Maltby, Xiaohong Xu, Isaac Luginaah, Janet Loebach, and Tayyab Shah
A geospatial approach to understanding inequalities in accessibility to primary care among vulnerable populations, Jason A. Gilliland, Tayyab Shah, Andrew F. Clark, Shannon L. Sibbald, and Jamie A. Seabrook
Study protocol of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial incorporated into the Group Lifestyle Balance™ program: the nutrigenomics, overweight/obesity and weight management trial (the NOW trial), Justine Horne; Jason A. Gilliland; Colleen O’Connor,; Jamie A. Seabrook; Peter Hannaberg; and Janet Madill
Assessing the relationship between water and nutrition knowledge and beverage consumption habits in children, Bridget R. Irwin, Mark R. Speechley, and Jason A. Gilliland
Promoting healthy beverage consumption habits among elementary school children: results of the Healthy Kids Community Challenge ‘Water Does Wonders’ interventions in London, Ontario, Bridget R. Irwin, Mark Speechley, Piotr Wilk, Andrew F. Clark, and Jason A. Gilliland
Examining the Social and Built Environment Factors Influencing Children’s Independent Use of Their Neighborhoods and the Experience of Local Settings as Child-Friendly, Janet Loebach and Jason A. Gilliland
Is phase angle an appropriate indicator of malnutrition in different disease states? A systematic review, Sylvia Rinaldi, Jason A. Gilliland, Colleen O'Connor, Bert Chesworth, and Janet Madill
Geospatial analyses of adverse birth outcomes in Southwestern Ontario: Examining the impact of environmental factors, Jamie A. Seabrook, Alexandra Smith, A. F. Clark, and Jason A. Gilliland
Geographic accessibility to primary care providers: Comparing rural and urban areas in Southwestern Ontario, Tayyab I. Shah, Andrew F. Clark, Jamie A. Seabrook, Shannon Sibbald, and Jason A. Galliland
Nature makes people happy, that’s what it sort of means:’ children’s definitions and perceptions of nature in rural Northwestern Ontario, Suzanne Tillmann, Brenton Button, Stephanie Coen, and Jason A. Gilliland
Food for naught: Using the theory of planned behaviour to better understand household food wasting behaviour, Paul van der Werf, Jamie A. Seabrook, and Jason A. Gilliland
"Reduce Food Waste, Save Money”: Testing a Novel Intervention to Reduce Household Food Waste, Paul van der Werf, Jamie A. Seabrook, and Jason A. Gilliland
Children’s perspectives on neighbourhood barriers and enablers to active school travel: A participatory mapping study, Katherine Wilson, Stephannie Coen, Angela Piaskoski, and Jason A. Gilliland
Submissions from 2018
Supporting active school travel: A qualitative analysis of implementing a regional safe routes to school program, Adrian N. Buttazzoni, Stephannie Coen, and Jason A. Gilliland
Active School Travel Intervention Methodologies in North America: A Systematic Review, Adrian N, Buttazzoni; Emily S. Van Kesteren; Tayyab I. Shah; and Jason A. Gilliland
Socioeconomic status and adverse birth outcomes: a population-based Canadian sample, Emily E. Campbell, Jason A. Gilliland, Paula D. N. Dworatzek, Barbra De Vrijer, Debbie Penava, and Jamie A Seabrook
Examining How Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status, Geographic Accessibility, and Informational Accessibility Influence the Uptake of a Free Population-Level Physical Activity Intervention for Children, A. F. Clark, Piotr Wilk, Christine A. Mitchell, Christine Smith, Josh Archer, and Jason A. Gilliland
Playing with poetry: Poetic representation of research in children’s geographies of nature and adventurous play, Stephanie E. Coen, Suzanne Tillmann, Christina R. Ergler, Cara McGuire, and Jason A. Gilliland
Examining community and consumer food environments for children: An urban-suburban-rural comparison in Southwestern Ontario, Catherine DuBreck, Richard C. Sadler, Godwin Arku, and Jason A. Gilliland
Does specialist physician supply affect pediatric asthma health outcomes?, Guido Filler, Tom Kovesi, Erik Bourdon, Sarah Ann Jones, Laurentiu Givelichian, Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg, Jason A. Gilliland, Marion Williams, Elaine Orrbine, and Bruno Piedboeuf
Influence of the Natural and Built Environment on Personal Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) in Cyclists Using City Designated Bicycle Routes, Jason A. Gilliland, Matthew Maltby, Xiaohong Xu, Isaac Luginaah, and Tayyab Shah
Toward Understanding Person–Place Transactions in Neighborhoods: A Qualitative-Participatory Geospatial Approach, Carri Hand, Debbie Laliberte Rudman, Suzanne Huot, Jason A. Gilliland, and Rachael L. Pack
Inequitable health service use in a Canadian paediatric population: A cross‐sectional study of individual‐ and contextual‐level factors, Catherine Holtz, Jason A. Gilliland, Amardeep Thind, Piotr Wilk, and M. K. Campbell
A Systematic Review of Genetic Testing and Lifestyle Behaviour Change: Are We Using High-Quality Genetic Interventions and Considering Behaviour Change Theory?, Justine Horne, Janet Madill, Colleen O'Connor, Jacob Shelley, and Jason A. Gilliland
Promotion of physical activity in rural, remote and northern settings: a Canadian call to action, Candace I. J. Nykiforuk, Kayla Atkey, Sara Brown, Wayne Caldwell, Tracey Galloway, Jason Gilliland, Krystyna Kongats, Jonathan McGavock, and Kim D. Raine
Equal Opportunity Streets: Assessing the Equity of Publicly Provisioned Street Trees in Walk Zones Surrounding Elementary Schools, Eli Paddle and Jason A. Gilliland
The association between alcohol outlet accessibility and adverse birth outcomes: A retrospective cohort study, Jamie A. Seabrook, N Woods, Andrew F. Clark, Barbra De Vrijer, Debbie Penava, and Jason A. Gilliland
Without Compromising Integrity: Research and Planning Around the Primary Healthcare Landscape in Southwestern Ontario, Shannon L. Sibbald, A. F. Clark, Jamie A. Seabrook, and Jason A. Gilliland
Context Matters: Examining children's perceived barriers to physical activity across varying Canadian environments, Leah G. Taylor, Andrew F. Clark, and Jason A. Gilliland
Exploring the Effect of Perceptions on Children’s Physical Activity in Varying Geographic Contexts: Using a Structural Equation Modelling Approach to Examine a Cross-Sectional Dataset, Leah G. Taylor, Andrew F. Clark, Piotr Wilk, Brenton L. Button, and Jason A. Gilliland
Children and Nature: Linking Accessibility of Natural Environments and Children’s Health-Related Quality of Life, Suzanne Tillmann, Andrew. F. Clark, and Jason A. Gilliland
Mental health benefits of interactions with nature in children and teenagers: a systematic review, Suzanne Tillmann, Danielle C. Tobin, William R. Avison, and Jason A. Gilliland
The quantity of food waste in the garbage stream of southern Ontario, Canada households, Paul van der Werf, Jamie A. Seabrook, and Jason A. Gilliland
Examining individual, interpersonal, and environmental influences on children’s physical activity levels, Piotr Wilk, Andrew. F. Clark, Alana Maltby, Christine Smith, Trish Tucker, and Jason A. Gilliland
Exploring the effect of parental influence on children’s physical activity: The mediating role of children’s perceptions of parental support, Piotr Wilk, Andrew F. Clark, Alana Maltby, Trish Tucker, and Jason A. Gilliland
Understanding child and parent perceptions of barriers influencing children’s active school travel, Katherine Wilson, A. F. Clark, and Jason A. Gilliland
Submissions from 2017
Is it sound poilcy or fast policy? Practitioner’s perspectives on the role of place branding local economic development., Evan P. Cleave, Godwin Arku, Richard C. Sadler, and Jason A. Gilliland
Seasonal variation in hospital encounters with hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia, Kristin K. Clemens, S. Shariff, L. Richard, G. Booth, Jason A. Gilliland, and A X Garg
Incorporating the ‘Theory of Planned Behavior’ into personalized healthcare behavior change research: a call to action, Justine Horne, Janet Madill, and Jason A. Gilliland
Re: “Polymorphisms of three genes (ACE, AGT and CYP11B2) in the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system are not associated with blood pressure salt sensitivity: a systematic meta-analysis”, Justine Horne, Colleen O'Connor, Janet Madill, Sylvia Rinaldi, and Jason A. Gilliland
The public health response to ‘do-it-yourself’ urbanism, Shannon L. Sibbald, R. Graham, and Jason A. Gilliland
A systematic review of food losses and food waste generation in developed countries, Paul van der Werf and Jason A. Gilliland
The influence of the built environment on adverse birth outcomes, N. Woods, Jason A. Gilliland, and Jamie A. Seabrook
Submissions from 2016
Factors that influence excessive gestational weight gain: Moving beyond assessment and counselling, Emily E, Campbell; Paula D N Dworatzek; Debbie Penava; Barbra De Vrijer; Jason A. Gilliland; June I. Matthews; and Jamie A Seabrook
Home safe home: Evaluation of a childhood home safety program, Tanya Charyk Stewart, Andrew F. Clark, Jason A. Gilliland, Michael R. Miller, Jane Edwards, and Tania Haidar
Shortening the trip to school: Examining how children’s active school travel is influenced by shortcuts in London, Canada, Andrew F. Clark, Emily A. Bent, and Jason A. Gilliland
Barriers to walking: An investigation of adults in Hamilton, Andrew F. Clark and Darren M. Scott
The role of place branding in local and regional economic development: bridging the gap between policy and practicality, Evan P. Cleave, Godwin Arku, Richard C. Sadler, and Jason A. Gilliland
Free range kids? Using GPS-derived activity spaces to examine children’s neighborhood activity and mobility, Janet E. Loebach and Jason A. Gilliland
Neighbourhood play on the endangered: examining patterns in children’s local activity and mobility using GPS monitoring and qualitative GIS, Janet E. Loebach and Jason A. Gilliland
Built environment influences of children’s physical activity: Examining differences by neighbourhood size and sex, Christine A. Mitchell, Andrew F. Clark, and Tom A. Adam 6612111
Orange is the new green: exploring the restorative capacity of seasonal foliage in schoolyard trees, Eli Paddle and Jason A. Gilliland
Using GPS and activity tracking to reveal the influence of adolescents’ food environment exposure on junk food purchasing, Richard C. Sadler, Andrew F. Clark, Piotr Wilk, Colleen O'Connor, and Jason A. Gilliland
Theoretical issues in the ‘food desert’ debate and ways forward, Richard C. Sadler, Jason A. Gilliland, and Godwin Arku
A comparative analysis of place branding in Michigan and Ontario, Richard Sadler, Evan P. Cleave, Godwin Arku, and Jason A. Gilliland
Submissions from 2015
An evidence-based method for targeting an abusive head trauma prevention media campaign and its evaluation, Tanya Charyk Stewart, Jason A. Gilliland, Neil G. Parry, and Douglas D. Fraser
Convenience sampling of children presenting to hospital-based outpatient clinics to estimate childhood obesity levels in local surroundings, Jason A. Gilliland, Andrew F. Clark, Marta Kobrzynski, and Guido Filler
The ACT-i-Pass study protocol: How does free access to recreation opportunities impact children’s physical activity levels?, Jason A. Gilliland, Andrew F. Clark, Patricia Tucker, Harry Prapavessis, William R. Avison, and Piotr Wilk
Using a smartphone application to promote healthy dietary behaviours and local food consumption, Jason A. Gilliland, Richard C. Sadler, Andrew F. Clark, Colleen O'Connor, Malgorzata M. Milczarek, and Dean Doherty
“All the world’s a stage”: A GIS framework for recreating personal time-space from qualitative and quantitative sources, Don Lafreniere and Jason A. Gilliland
Local food networks as catalysts for food policy change to improve health and build the economy, Richard Sadler, Godwin Arku, and Jason A. Gilliland
Comparing children’s GPS tracks with non-objective geospatial measures of exposure to junk food, Richard C. Sadler and Jason A. Gilliland
The effect of leisure-time physical activity on obesity, diabetes, high BP and heart disease among Canadians: Evidence from 2000/01 to 2005/06, Sisira Sarma, Rose Anne Devlin, Jason A. Gilliland, m. Karen Campbell, and Gregory S. Zaric
Submissions from 2014
An epidemiologic profile of pediatric concussions: Identifying urban and rural differences, Tanya Charyk Stewart, Jason A. Gilliland, and Douglas D. Fraser
Examining the relationship between active travel, weather, and the built environment: A multilevel approach using a GPS-enhanced dataset, Andrew F. Clark, Darren M. Scott, and Nikolaos Yiannakoulias
Comparison of hip fracture and osteoporosis medication prescription rates across Canadian provinces, Richard Crilly, Marita Kloseck, Bert M. Chesworth, S. Mequanint, E. Sadowski, and Jason A. Gilliland
Association between neighbourhood fast-food and full-service restaurant density and BMI: A cross-sectional study of Canadian adults, Simon Hollands, M. Karen Campbell, Jason A. Gilliland, and Sisira Sarma
Neighbourhood variation and inequity of primary health service use by mothers from London-Middlesex, Ontario, Catherine Holtz, Jason A. Gilliland, Amardeep Thind, Piotr Wilk, and M. karen Campbell
Stakeholder and policy maker perception of key issues in food systems planning and policy making, Richard C. Sadler, Jason A. Gilliland, and Godwin Arku
The effect of physical activity on adult obesity: Evidence from the Canadian NPHS panel, Sisira Sarma, Gregory S. Zaric, M. Karen Campbell, and Jason A. Gilliland
Submissions from 2013
Does the social environment influence active travel? An investigation of walking in Hamilton, Canada, Andrew F. Clark and Darren M. Scott
Dwelling places and social spaces: Revealing the environments of urban workers in Victoria using historical GIS, Patrick A. Dunae, Donald Lafreniere, Jason A. Gilliland, and John S. Lutz
Fruit and vegetable consumption among urban Canadian schoolchildren living in a socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhood, Karna E. Glen, Heather M. Thomas, Janet E. Loebach, Jason A. Gilliland, and Colleen P. Gobert
A spatial analysis of the association between restaurant density and BMI in Canadian adults, Simon Hollands, M. Karen Campbell, Jason A. Gilliland, and Sisira Sarma
Determinants of diet quality in pregnancy in a Canadian cohort: Does neighborhood food environment play a role?, Danielle M. Nash, Jason A. Gilliland, Susan e. Evers, Piotr Wilk, and M. Karen Campbell
Creating Deep Maps and Spatial Narratives through Design, Mia Ridge, Donald Lafreniere, and Sisira Sarma
Community Development and the Influence of New Food Retail Sources on the Price and Availability of Nutritious Food, Richard Casey Sadler, Jason A. Gilliland, and Godwin Arku
An economic impact comparative analysis of farmers’ markets in Michigan and Ontario, Richard C. Sadler, Michael A. R. Clark, and Jason A. Gilliland
A food retail-based intervention on food security and consumption, Richard C. Sadler, Jason A. Gilliland, and Godwin Arku
A comparison of injuries, crashes, and outcomes for pediatric rear occupants in traffic motor vehicle collisions, Tanya C. Stewart, Kevin McClafferty, Michael Shkrum, Jean-Louis Comeau, Jason A. Gilliland, and Douglas Fraser
Submissions from 2012
Linking childhood obesity to the built environment: A multi-level analysis of home and school neighbourhood factors associated with body mass index, Jason A. Gilliland, Claudia Rangel, Martin Healy, Patricia Tucker, Janet E. Loebach, Paul M. Hess, Meizi He, Jennifer D. Irwin, and Piotr Wilk
Quantifying the Magnitude of Environmental Exposure Misclassification When Using Imprecise Address Proxies in Public Health Research, Martin Healy and Jason A. Gilliland
The Influence of Local Food Environments on Adolescents' Food Purchasing Behaviors, Meizi He, Patricia Tucker, Jason Gilliland, Jennifer D. Irwin, Kristian Larsen, and Paul Hess
Obesogenic Neighborhoods: The Impact of Neighborhood Restaurants and Convenience Stores on Adolescents' Food Consumption Behaviors, Meizi He, Patricia Tucker, Jennifer D. Irwin, Jason Gilliland, Kristian Larsen, and Paul Hess
Route-Based Analysis to Capture the Environmental Influences on a Child's Mode of Travel between Home and School, Kristian Larsen, Jason Gilliland, and Paul Hess
Submissions from 2011
An Analysis of Public Debates over Urban Growth Patterns in the City of London, Ontario, Godwin Arku, J. Kemp, and Jason Gilliland
Shaken Baby Syndrome and a Triple-Dose Strategy For Its Prevention, Tanya Charyk-Stewart, Denise Polgar, Jason Gilliland, David A. Tanner, Murray J. Girotti, Neil Parry, and Douglas D. Fraser
Making the Inscrutable, Scrutable: Race and Space in Victoria's Chinatown, 1891, Patrick A. Dunae, John S. Lutz, Donald Lafreniere, and Jason Gilliland