Search

Background: Pedometer-facilitated interventions encourage physical activity via the accumulation of steps. Mixed evidence suggests that neighborhood walkability might influence the effectiveness of physical activity interventions, including pedometer-facilitated interventions. Our study investigated the moderating effect of neighborhood walkability on immediate (4-week) and short-term (12-week) changes in self-reported neighborhood-specific leisure and transportation walking, leisure-based moderate and vigorous-intensity physical activity, and leisure-based screen time during a pedometer-facilitated intervention (UWALK). Methods: This quasi-experiment undertaken in Calgary (Canada) compared behavior changes during the 12-week intervention between two neighborhood groups classified as 'walkable' or 'car dependent' based on Walk Score®. Of the 573 volunteers (adults in the contemplation and preparation stages of physical activity behavior change), 466 participated in UWALK. Surveys captured sociodemographic characteristics, perceived neighborhood walkability, neighborhood preferences, motivation, physical activity and screen-based leisure. Covariate-adjusted linear mixed models estimated the differences in physical activity and leisure screen time between the neighborhood walkability groups at baseline, 4-weeks, and 12-weeks. Results: UWALK participants included mostly females (83%) and had an average age of 49.2 years. Weekly minutes of walking for transport inside the neighborhood was higher (p <.001) among participants from walkable versus car dependent neighborhoods at baseline (42.5 vs. 21.1), 4-weeks (81.2 vs. 48.2), and 12-weeks (87.2 vs. 48.0). Regardless of neighborhood walkability, all physical activity outcomes were higher and leisure screen time lower at 4-weeks and 12-weeks compared with baseline. We found no significant neighborhood group by time interactions. Conclusions: Pedometer-facilitated interventions may be effective for supporting short-term changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior even among adults residing in low walkable neighborhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The restrictions introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic affected the regular routines of Canadians, including access to play and physical activity opportunities, while limiting social connections. In response to this, a recreation centre created take-home play kits that contained loose parts with the aim of facilitating unstructured play. Between August 2021 and January 2022, ten parents participated in semi-structured interviews via telephone or videoconferencing platforms that captured their experiences of the take-home play kits. Using Thematic Analysis, we identified themes and subthemes reflecting parent perceptions and experiences of the take-home play kit. Three themes emerged: (1 A forced renaissance of play; (2) Bringing unstructured play home, and; (3) Parenting is child's play. Parents shared how the pandemic resulted in decreased physical activity and social opportunities for their children. The parents described how the take-home play kits supported unstructured play as well as their perspectives on the importance of unstructured play. Parents in our study suggested that a take-home loose parts play kit could be a useful resource to help engage children in unstructured play in both indoor and outdoor environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neighbourhood built environment can support the physical activity of adults regardless of their individual-level socioeconomic status. However, physical activity supportive (walkable) neighbourhoods may not be accessible to those with lower incomes if homes in walkable neighbourhoods are too expensive. The objectives of this study were: 1) to estimate the associations between neighbourhood walkability and home values in Canadian cities, and 2) to test whether these associations differ by city size and residential property type composition within neighbourhoods. We linked built environment data from the 2016 Canadian Active Living Environments (Can-ALE) index with neighbourhood-level structural home characteristics and sociodemographic data from the 2016 Canadian census for 33,026 neighbourhoods across 31 Census Metropolitan Areas. We used multilevel linear regression models to estimate covariate-adjusted associations between neighbourhood walkability and natural-log median home values and tested city size and neighbourhood property type composition as moderators. There were no statistically significant associations between walkability and home values overall. The associations between neighbourhood walkability and home values were jointly moderated by city size and property type composition. For small and medium sized cities, within neighbourhoods containing a high proportion of detached homes, walkability was negatively associated with home values (b = -0.05, 95% CI: -0.10, -0.01; and, b = -0.04, 95% CI: -0.06, -0.02, for small and medium cities, respectively). However, for extra-large cities, within neighbourhoods containing a high proportion of detached homes, walkability was positively associated with home values (b = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.10). Our findings suggest that, based on housing affordability, higher walkable neighbourhoods are likely accessible to lower income households that are situated in small and medium Canadian cities. In larger cities, however, municipal interventions (e.g., inclusionary zoning or targeted development of subsidized or social housing) may be needed to ensure equitable access to walkable neighbourhoods for lower income households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence suggests that neighbourhood street connectivity is positively associated with physical activity, yet few studies have estimated its associations with sedentary behaviour. We estimated the associations between space syntax derived street integration, a novel measure of street connectivity, and sedentary behaviours among Canadian adults. Data were sourced from a population-based study–Alberta's Tomorrow Project (n = 14,758). Items from the International Physical Activity Questionnaire captured sedentary behaviour, including sitting and motor vehicle travel time and walking. Street integration was measured within a 1600m radius of participants' homes. Covariate-adjusted linear regression models estimated the associations between street integration and sedentary behaviour. Street integration was significantly positively associated with daily minutes of sitting on week (b 6.44; 95CI 3.60, 9.29) and weekend (b 4.39; 95CI 1.81, 6.96) days, and for week and weekend days combined (b 5.86; 95CI 3.30, 8.41) and negatively associated with daily minutes of motor vehicle travel (b -3.72; 95CI -3.86, -1.55). These associations remained significant after further adjustment for daily walking participation and duration. More research is needed to understand the pathways by which street integration positively and or negatively affects sedentary behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accumulating evidence suggests that the built environment is associated with physical activity. The extent to which the built environment may support adherence to physical activity interventions is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the neighbourhood built environment constrains or facilitates adherence and steps taken during a 12-week internet-delivered pedometer-based physical activity intervention (UWALK). Method: The study was undertaken in Calgary (Canada) between May 2016 and August 2017. Inactive adults (n = 573) completed a telephone survey measuring sociodemographic characteristics and perceived neighbourhood walkability. Following the survey, participants were mailed a pedometer and instructions for joining UWALK. Participants were asked to report their daily pedometer steps into the online program on a weekly basis for 12 weeks (84 days). Walk Score® estimated objective neighbourhood walkability and the Neighbourhood Environment Walkability Scale–Abbreviated (NEWS-A) measured participants self-reported neighbourhood walkability. Regression models estimated covariate-adjusted associations of objective and self-reported walkability with: 1) adherence to the UWALK intervention (count of days with steps reported and count of days with 10000 steps reported), and; 2) average daily pedometer steps. Results: On average, participants undertook 8565 (SD = 3030) steps per day, reported steps on 67 (SD = 22.3) of the 84 days, and achieved ≥10000 steps on 22 (SD = 20.5) of the 84 days. Adjusting for covariates, a one-unit increase in self-reported walkability was associated on average with 45.76 (95CI 14.91, 76.61) more daily pedometer steps. Walk Score® was not significantly associated with steps. Neither objective nor self-reported walkability were significantly associated with the UWALK adherence outcomes. Conclusion: The neighbourhood built environment may support pedometer-measured physical activity but may not influence adherence to pedometer interventions. Perceived walkability may be more important than objectively-measured walkability in supporting physical activity during pedometer interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]