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Abstract: This study investigated whether associations between the neighborhood built environment and neighborhood-based physical activity (PA) varied by sociodemographic and health-related characteristics. A random sample of adults (n=2006) completed telephone- and self-administered questionnaires. Questionnaires captured PA, sociodemographic, and health-related characteristics. Neighborhood-based PA (MET-minutes/week) was compared across low, medium, and high walkable neighborhoods for each sociodemographic (sex, age, dependents, education, income, motor vehicle access, and dog ownership) and health-status (general health and weight status) subpopulation. With few exceptions, subpopulations residing in high walkable neighborhoods undertook more (p<0.05) neighborhood-based PA than their counterparts in less walkable neighborhoods. Improving neighborhood walkability is a potentially effective population health intervention for increasing neighborhood-based PA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We investigated the association between objectively-assessed neighborhood walkability and local walking among adults. Two independent random cross-sectional samples of Calgary (Canada) residents were recruited. Neighborhood-based walking, attitude towards walking, neighborhood self-selection, and socio-demographic characteristics were captured. Built environmental attributes underwent a two-staged cluster analysis which identified three neighborhood types (HW: high walkable; MW: medium walkable; LW: low walkable). Adjusting for all other characteristics, MW (OR 1.40, p<0.05) and HW (OR 1.34, approached p<0.05) neighborhood residents were more likely than LW neighborhood residents to participate in neighborhood-based transportation walking. HW neighborhood residents spent 30-min/wk more on neighborhood-based transportation walking than both LW and MW neighborhood residents. MW neighborhood residents spent 14-min/wk more on neighborhood-based recreational walking than LW neighborhood residents. Neighborhoods with a highly connected pedestrian network, large mix of businesses, high population density, high access to sidewalks and pathways, and many bus stops support local walking. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Given that recent literature reviews on physical activity in urban parks deliberately excluded qualitative findings, we reviewed qualitative research on this topic informed by a published classification scheme based on quantitative research. Twenty-one studies met our inclusion criteria. These studies relied mainly on semi-structured interviews with individuals or in focus groups; only five studies involved in situ observation. Our synthesis aligns with previous quantitative research showing that attributes including safety, aesthetics, amenities, maintenance, and proximity are important for encouraging park use. Furthermore, our synthesis of qualitative research suggests that perceptions of the social environment entwine inextricably with perceptions of the physical environment. If so, physical attributes of parks as well as perceptions of these attributes (formed in relation to broader social contexts) may influence physical activity patterns. Both qualitative and quantitative methods provide useful information for interpreting such patterns, and in particular, when designing and assessing interventions intended to improve the amount and intensity of physical activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Most walkability indices do not capture the topological structure of urban forms. Space syntax models these topological relationships. We estimated associations between the space syntax measure of street integration and walkability (SSW) and neighborhood-specific leisure (LW) and transportation (TW) walking among 4422 Canadian adults. Street integration and SSW were found to be positively associated with TW and LW participation in a usual week. A one-unit increase in SSW was associated with a 6-min increase in usual weekly minutes of TW. Street integration and SSW were also positively associated with TW participation in the last week. Higher street integration and walkability conceptualized using space syntax support neighborhood walking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet-facilitated physical activity interventions are becoming more common. A better understanding about the barriers and facilitators experienced by participants is needed to improve the delivery and effectiveness of these types of interventions. Our study explored perceived individual, social, and physical environment characteristics that hinder or facilitate physical activity among previously "inactive" adults during a 12-week internet-facilitated pedometer intervention. Qualitative Study (qualitative description). Twenty-three participants (82.6% women; ages 24–68 years) who registered for the 12-week internet-facilitated pedometer intervention (UWALK) participated in telephone-administered semi-structured interviews. Interview questions explored perceived barriers and facilitators to physical activity during the UWALK intervention. Participants were purposefully sampled to represent various levels of engagement with UWALK. The experiences shared by participants were represented by four themes including: creating (in)activity awareness; commitment to physical activity; incorporating activity for transportation, and; importance of nature and changing scenery. Wearing the pedometer and recording their daily steps made participants more aware about time being sedentary. Moreover, participants developed strategies to help achieve their step goals. Active transportation was frequently mentioned as an effective way of increasing daily steps, and access to nature or beautiful scenery encouraged more physical activity. Perceived individual and environmental factors contribute to participants' ability to engage in UWALK and physical activity. Providing participants enrolled in internet-facilitated pedometer interventions with strategies for overcoming barriers, instructions for exploring their local environments, and approaches for incorporating active transportation into daily routines, may improve adherence and, ultimately, increase physical activity. • Wearing pedometers increased awareness of participant's current physical activity. • Tracking pedometer steps motivated UWALK participants to be physically active. • Individual and environmental factors influenced engagement in UWALK. • Destinations, nature, and pathways supported physical activity during UWALK. • Garbage, the homeless, and off-leash dogs hindered physical activity during UWALK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study explored children''s activity spaces. In 2007, children aged 10–12 years (n=1480) completed a survey and mapping activity, and wore a pedometer for seven days. Their parents completed a survey (n=1314). Over half traveled <25% of their ‘neighborhood’, defined as 800m and 1600m network buffers. More local destinations (boys β=−0.022; girls β=−0.013) and parent report of living on a busy road (girls β=−0.43) were associated with smaller activity spaces whereas being independently mobile resulted in larger (girls β=0.28) ones. Traditionally defined neighborhoods may not reflect children''s movements. Freedom, fewer local destinations and traffic safety may be important for increasing spatial ranges. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]