Background: Cochrane systematic reviews have a role to play in summarising the evidence in relation to key health issues of concern. Within the current context of global population increase in prevalence of overweight and obesity, and the corresponding decrease in physical activity, understanding the impact of systematic reviews from a policy perspective, and implications for further research is a core area of interest for public health agencies and research funding bodies. Whilst there are a good number of systematic reviews in this area now published, their collateral impact on policy and research recommendations has not yet been summarised.

Objectives: To identify and summarise the conclusions of high quality Cochrane reviews of health promotion and public health effectiveness in the area of physical activity and to identify policy, practice and research recommendations.

Methods: To conduct an assessment of Cochrane reviews of effectiveness of health promotion and public health interventions based on the strength of evidence from each review and component studies.

Results: A sensitive search strategy of The Cochrane Library has been completed and is available for application to other content areas. Data on methods and results are extracted from the reviews and synthesised. Research methods of individual reviews and primary studies are extracted, compared and recommendations for future relevant primary research and intervention evaluations has been conducted.

Conclusions: Conclusions will be presented in relation to policy and program recommendations for physical activity and perhaps more significantly, the nature and type of research and evidence required for policy making decisions in public health, and their inclusion and synthesis in systematic reviews.