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Background: We compared the relation between neighborhood features and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) using linear regression analysis and the more novel compositional data analysis (CoDA). Compositional data analysis allows us to take the time children allocate to different movement behaviours during a 24-hour time period into account., Methodology: Data from youth participants (n = 409) in the QUALITY (QUebec Adipose and Lifestyle InvesTigation in Youth) cohort were included. Time spent in MVPA, light physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep ("24-hour movement behaviours") was measured using accelerometers. Neighborhood data were collected using a geographic information system and through direct observation. In CoDA models, we used orthogonal logratio coordinates, which allows for the association of neighbourhood walkability with MVPA to be estimated with respect to the average composition of all other behaviours within a 24-hour time frame. In baseline linear regression models, MVPA was regressed cross-sectionally on neighborhood walkability. All models were stratified by sex, and controlled for BMI z-scores, pubertal development, seasonal variation, parental education, and neighbourhood safety., Results: Based on CoDA, girls who lived in more walkable neighborhoods had 10% higher daily MVPA (95% CI: 2%, 19%), taking into account all other movement behaviours. Based on linear regression, girls who resided in more walkable neighborhoods engaged in 4.2 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2, 6.6) more minutes of MVPA per day on average than girls residing in less walkable neighborhoods., Conclusions: Unlike with traditional linear models, all movement behaviours were included in a single model using CoDA, allowing for a more complete picture of the strength and direction of the association between neighbourhood Walkability and MVPA. Application of CoDA to investigate determinants of physical activity provides additional insight into potential mechanisms and the ways in which people allocate their time., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Cycling for transport provides many health and social benefits - including physical activity and independent access to jobs, education, social opportunities, health care and other services (accessibility). However, some population groups have less opportunity to reach everyday destinations, and public transport stops, by bicycle - owing in part to their greater aversion to riding amongst motor vehicle traffic. Health equity can therefore be improved by providing separated cycleway networks that give more people the opportunity to access places by bicycle using traffic-free routes. The aim of this study was to assess the health equity benefits of two bicycle infrastructure development scenarios - a single cycleway, and a complete network of cycleways - by examining the distributions of physical activity and accessibility benefits across gender, age and income groups., Methods: Travel survey data collected from residents in Sydney (Australia) were used to train a predictive transport mode choice model, which was then used to forecast the impact of the two intervention scenarios on transport mode choice, physical activity and accessibility. The latter was measured using a utility-based measure derived from the mode choice model. The distributions of the forecast physical activity and accessibility benefits were then calculated across gender, age and income groups., Results: The modelled physical activity and accessibility measures improve in both intervention scenarios. However, in the single cycleway scenario, the benefits are greatest for the male, high-income and older age groups. In the complete network scenario, the benefits are more equally distributed. Forecast increases in cycling time are largely offset by decreases in walking time - though the latter is typically low-intensity physical activity, which confers a lesser health benefit than moderate-intensity cycling., Conclusions: Separated cycleway infrastructure can be used to improve health equity by providing greater opportunities for transport cycling in population groups more averse to riding amongst motor vehicle traffic. Disparities in the opportunity to access services and economic/social activities by bicycle - and incorporate more physical activity into everyday travel - could be addressed with connected, traffic-free cycleway networks that cater to people of all genders, ages and incomes., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Individuals living in deprived inner cities have disproportionately high rates of cancers, Type 2 diabetes and obesity, which have stress- and physical inactivity-related etiologies. This study aims to quantify effects of ecological park restoration on physical activity, stress and cardio-metabolic health outcomes., Methods: The Study of Active Neighborhoods in Detroit is a quasi-experimental, longitudinal panel natural experiment with two conditions (restored park intervention (INT) and control (CNT)) and annual measurements at baseline and 3-years post-restoration. Individuals (sampled within 500 m of an INT/CNT park) serve as the unit of analysis. Restoration (n = 4 parks) involves replacing non-native plants and turf with native plants; creating trails; posting signage; and leading community stewardship events. The CNT condition (n = 5) is an unmaintained park, matched to INT based on specified neighborhood conditions. Recruitment involves several avenues, with a retention goal of 450 participants. Park measures include plant/avian diversity; usage of the park (SOPARC); signs of care; auditory environment recordings; and visual greenness using 360 imagery. Health outcomes include device-based physical activity behavior (primary outcome); salivary cortisol (secondary outcome); and several downstream health outcomes. Exposure to the INT will be assessed through visual contact time and time spent in the park using GPS data. Changes in health outcomes between years and INT versus CNT will be tested using generalized linear (mixed) models., Discussion: Our study will examine whether restored urban greenspaces increase physical activity and lower stress, with public health planning implications, where small changes in neighborhood greenspaces may have large health benefits in low-income neighborhoods., Study Registration: Registration: OSF Preregistration registered March 31, 2020. Accessible from https://osf.io/surx7.

Parks may provide opportunities for people to increase their physical activity and improve health. Yet, parks are generally less plentiful and underutilized in low-income urban neighborhoods compared with more advantaged neighborhoods. Renovations within and around parks may improve park utilization but the empirical evidence supporting this relationship is scarce. This study assessed the impact of greenspace, housing, and commercial investments on street characteristics (walkability, amenities, incivilities/poor esthetics) and park use by examining park use over time in two low-income neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, PA (n = 17 parks), before and after neighborhood-based renovations that were primarily centered in one neighborhood. We used systematic observation of parks, park use, and street blocks surrounding parks to examine the impact of neighborhood changes on park use. We used difference-in-differences to test whether park use and street characteristics surrounding the parks improved more in the intervention neighborhood than in the comparison neighborhood. We also used zero-inflated negative binomial regression with interactions by time to test whether changes in street characteristics were associated with changes in park use over time. We found that improved walkability, incivilities, and esthetics surrounding parks in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods were associated with greater park use and may help increase visits to underutilized parks.

Insufficient physical activity (PA) is the fourth major risk factor for many non-communicable diseases and premature mortality worldwide. Features of the built environment (BE) play a considerable role in determining population PA behaviors. The majority of evidence for PA-BE relationships comes from high-income countries and may not be generalizable to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We aim to systematically review the literature and assess the associations between perceived and/or objective BE characteristics and PA domains in LMICs. This review adopted a systematic search strategy for English language articles published between January 2000 and June 2019 from four electronic databases-Medline, Embase, Web of Science and PubMed-adhering to the PRISMA guidelines. Studies addressing the associations between self-reported and/or objective BE and PA were only included if they were conducted in LMICs, according to the World Bank classification list. Articles investigating PA-BE relationships across any age groups were included, and all study designs were eligible, except for qualitative studies and reviews. Thirty-three studies were included for evidence synthesis. Cross-sectional studies were the most prevailing study design (97%), revealing a notable gap in longitudinal PA-BE research in LMICs. A majority of the BE factors were not associated with different PA domains while others (e.g., density, proximity to services, aesthetics) exhibited an inconsistent association. Land-use mix diversity was positively associated with transport PA and the presence of recreation facilities resulted in an increase in PA during leisure-time. Increased safety from crime at night consistently increased total PA and walking levels. Research exploring the associations between BE attributes and PA behaviors in LMICs appears to be limited and is primarily cross-sectional. Longitudinal research studies with objective measures are needed for inferring well-grounded PA-BE causal relationships and informing the design of evidence-based environmental interventions for increasing PA levels in LMICs., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: A rapidly growing body of research suggests that qualities of the built environment can promote active living among children and youth. Nevertheless, shortcomings in the current evidence for understanding which built environment characteristics provide opportunities for taking part in activities in childhood remain. This study aimed to examine whether population density, green spaces, and facilities/amenities are associated with participation in leisure-time physical activity (PA), organized activities, and social activities with friends and peers in Norwegian 8-year-olds., Methods: Data from a sample of 23,043 children from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) were linked with geospatial data about the built environment. The questionnaire data reported by mothers provided information on the children's leisure activities. We computed exposure to neighborhood population density and access to green spaces and facilities/amenities within 800- and 5000-m radii of the participants' home addresses using geographic information systems. Associations were estimated using logistic regression models., Results: We found beneficial associations between having a park within 800-m and more leisure-time PA during the summer. Furthermore, children living in neighborhoods with higher proportions of green space participated in more PA during the winter. More densely populated areas and access to facilities were associated with participation in organized and social activities. Specifically, we observed that more playgrounds/sport fields in the neighborhood were the strongest and most consistent correlate of activity participation in Norwegian 8-year-olds by being related to more socialization with friends and peers., Conclusion: This population-based study underscores the importance of access to a variety of venues and opportunities for different activities in the immediate neighborhood surroundings and in the greater community to support participation in physical activity and organized and social activities in childhood.

(1) Background: Current evidence on the association between greenery and physical activity (PA) remains inconsistent. Most studies on this association use objective measures of greenness, which do not reveal people's perceptions of greenness in neighborhoods, or the role of quality components of greenness, such as shade, trees, and the presence of nature on this association. (2) Methods: Drawing on data from the Neighborhood Environment and Health Survey-a cross-sectional population-based survey of Denver residents in 2007-we examined which measures of greenness (perceived and objective) correlated with the self-reported PA. We also assessed how components of perceived greenness, shade, trees and the presence of nature, correlated with PA. (3) Results: Perceived greenness, reflecting perception of trees, shade and the presence of nature, was positively associated with reported moderate-vigorous PA. Conclusion: Findings provide evidence that quality aspects of greenness affect people's perception of the neighborhood in a way that relates to PA. The individual contributions of shade, trees, and the presence of nature in this association should be analyzed in future studies. Understanding the link between shade and trees and PA has implications for how to plan for walkability and sun safety at the neighborhood scale.

Background: Urban green open space is a valuable resource for physical activities of urban inhabitants and has the potential to reduce chronic illness and improve health. Research on the relationships between green open space and physical activity is incomplete and limited in China. Thus, the study examines how the urban green open space contributes to physical activity., Methods: A questionnaire was designed based on the social ecology theory to investigate the physical activity of 513 residents in urban green open space. We use the time and frequency of residents exercising in urban green space to measure physical activity, and use the factor analysis to synthesize a large number of original factors (i.e., infrastructure, safety, accessibility, landscape quality, and space environment) into relatively few composite indicators. Based on the collected data of the cross-sectional population, the Order Probit regression model was constructed to analyze how urban green open space affects the residents' physical activity from the perspective of social ecology., Results: ① in community factors: accessibility is significantly positive correlation with residents' physical activity, and there is no significant correlation between safety and physical activity; ②in natural factors: space environment and landscape quality are not significantly correlated with residents' physical activity; ③ in built environmental factors: infrastructures, the area of green space, the size of open space, and entertainment facilities are significantly correlated to residents' activity. Basketball courts, volleyball courts, swimming pools, and sports equipment will promote physical activity; ④ apart from the attributes of green open space, other factors are significantly correlated to physical activity in the green open space, e.g. having a companion., Conclusions: Urban green open space plays an important role in promoting physical activity especially among the women and the old, and improving the attributes (such as accessibility, infrastructures, the area of green space, the size of open space and entertainment facilities) of the urban green open space and trying to set up group sports proper to play with companion (like "square dancing" and "Tai Chi") can promote Chinese residents' physical activity so as to improve public health. The results are significant to facilitate environment health.

Efforts to increase physical activity have traditionally included either individual-level interventions (e.g., educational campaigns) or neighborhood-level interventions (e.g., additional recreational facilities). Little work has addressed the interaction between spatial proximity and individual characteristics related to facility use. We aimed to better understand the synergistic impact of both physical activity environments and recreational facility membership on objectively measured physical activity. Using the New York City Physical Activity and Transit (PAT) survey (n = 644), we evaluated associations between counts of commercial physical activity facilities within 1 km of participants' home addresses with both facility membership and accelerometry-measured physical activity. Individuals living near more facilities were more likely to report membership (adjusted odds ratio for top versus bottom quartile of facility count: 3.77 (95% CI 1.54-9.20). Additionally, while amount of facilities within a neighborhood was associated with more physical activity, this association was stronger for individuals reporting gym membership. Interventions aiming to increase physical activity should consider both neighborhood amenities and potential barriers, including the financial and social barriers of membership. Evaluation of neighborhood opportunities must expand beyond physical presence to consider multiple dimensions of accessibility.

To examine how urban form shapes physical activity and health over time, a measure of neighborhood walkability is needed that can be linked to cohort studies with participants living across the United States (U.S.) that have been followed over the past decades. The Built Environment and Health-Neighborhood Walkability Index (BEH-NWI), a measure of neighborhood walkability that can be calculated for communities across the United States between 1990 and 2015, was conceptualized, developed, and tested using data from the New York City Tri-State Area. BEH-NWI measures were created for 1990 and 2010 using historical data on population density, street intersection density, density of rail stops, and density of pedestrian trip generating/supporting establishments. BEH-NWI scores were calculated for 1-km buffers around the 1990 residences of NYU Women's Health Study (NYUWHS) participants and NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Physical Activity and Transit (PAT) survey participants enrolled in 2011. Higher neighborhood BEH-NWI scores were significantly associated with greater self-reported walking per week (+ 0.31 MET-hours/week per unit BEH-NWI, 95% CI 0.23, 0.36) and lower body mass index (- 0.17 BMI units per unit BEH-NWI, 95% - 0.23, - 0.12) among NYUWHS participants. Higher neighborhood BEH-NWI scores were associated with significantly higher accelerometer-measured physical activity among PAT survey participants (39% more minutes of moderate-intensity equivalent activity/week across the interquartile range of BEH-NWI, 95% CI 21%, 60%). The BEH-NWI can be calculated using historical data going back to 1990, and BEH-NWI scores predict BMI, weekly walking, and physical activity in two NYC area datasets.

Point-of-decision prompts are cost-effective strategies to promote physical activity in public spaces. This study explored how adult and child guests of a conservatory with botanical gardens perceived point-of-decision prompts that aimed to promote physical activity. Seven point-of-decision prompts were developed and displayed throughout the conservatory. Adult guests ( n = 140) were invited to complete a voluntary and anonymous survey to assess awareness of point-of-decision prompts, adult-child interactions, and physical activity engagement. Descriptive statistics were calculated using SPSS version 23. Sixty-one percent of guests ( n = 86) who responded to the survey noticed the point-of-decision prompts. Over 65% ( n = 56) of those guests completed at least one of the physical activities, and 53% ( n = 46) completed one to three. Of guests attending with (a) child(ren) ( n = 17) who completed the survey, over half ( n = 9) engaged in at least one physical activity together. In sum, the point-of-decision prompts were noticed by some guests in this public space. More research is needed to determine whether point-of-decision prompts are able to lead to sustainable behavior change.

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to examine associations between objectively measured walkable urban design attributes with Japanese older adults' body mass index (BMI) and to test whether objectively assessed physical activity and sedentary behavior mediated such associations., Design: Cross-sectional., Setting: Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan., Participants: Participants were 297 older residents (aged 65-84 years) randomly selected from the registry of residential addresses., Measures: Walkable urban design attributes, including population density, availability of physical activity facilities, intersection density, and access to public transportation stations, were calculated using geographic information systems. Physical activity, sedentary behavior, and BMI were measured objectively., Analysis: The relationships of walkable urban design attributes, Walk Score®, and BMI were examined by multiple linear regression with adjustment for covariates in all models. Mediation effects of the physical activity and sedentary behavior variables in these relationships were tested using a product-of-coefficients test., Results: Higher population density and Walk Score® were associated with lower BMI. Light and moderate-to-vigorous physical activities partially mediated the relationships between these walkable urban design attributes and BMI., Conclusions: Developing active-friendly environmental policies to (re)design neighborhoods may not only promote active transport behaviors but also help in improving residents' health status in non-Western contexts.

This paper describes the redesign, field-testing, and convergent validity of a practical tool-Physical Activity Campus Environmental Supports (PACES) audit. Methods. The audit includes two parts: (1) PACES-Programs, which is comprised of questions regarding populations served, fees, programs (recreation/fitness classes and intramurals), proximity, adequacy of facilities, and marketing, and (2) PACES-Facilities, which is comprised of questions regarding built environment (aesthetics, bike racks, stairs, and universal design), recreation equipment, staff, amenities, and access. Each item criterion is specifically scored using a five-point, semantic-differential scale ranging from limited to extensive environmental support. A few questions utilize select all that apply for a summed score. PACES training, interrater reliability, and data collection are all accessible via an online portal. PACES was tested on 76 college campuses. Convergent validity was examined by comparing the PACES-Programs questions to Healthy Campus Initiatives-Programs questions (HCI-Programs) and comparing the PACES-Facilities questions to questions contained in the Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA) Instrument. Statistical analyses included Cronbach's alpha, ANOVA, latent profile analysis, and Spearman correlations. Results. The PACES-Programs audit includes 10 items for a potential total of 73 points ( α  = 0.72) and PACES-Facilities audit includes 15 items for a potential total of 77 points ( α  = 0.837). Most (77.8%) of the 153 facilities assessed scored in the most healthful range (20-42), which was mainly due to the extensiveness of the aerobic equipment/amenities and the competence/accessibility of staff. Significant differences in PACES-Total and PACES-Programs scores were associated with campus size and PACES-Facilities across regions. For the paired validation assessments, correlations were significant between PACES-Programs and HCI-Programs (( n =41) r =0.498, p < 0.001) and PACES-Facilities and PARA ( n =29) for both features ( r =0.417, p =0.024) and amenities ( r =0.612, p < 0.001), indicating moderate convergent validity. Conclusion. The PACES audit is a valid, reliable tool for assessing the quality of recreation facilities and programs in a variety of college campus environments.

Background: Many environmental factors have been associated with physical activity. The environment is considered a key factor in terms of the rate of engagement in physical activity. This study examined the perceived effect of environmental factors on different levels of health-enhancing physical activity among Taiwanese adults., Methods: Data were collected from 549 adults aged at least 18 years from the northern, central, southern and eastern regions of Taiwan. Physical activity was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) showcard version, and participants were divided into three categories: those who performed low-, moderate-, or high-levels of physical activity, as suggested by the IPAQ scoring protocol. The perceived neighborhood environment in relation to physical activity was adapted from the Physical Activity Neighborhood Environment Scale. A multinomial logistic regression was conducted to ascertain associations between individual perceptions of the neighborhood environment and different physical activity levels., Results: Respondents who perceived their neighborhood environment as having easy access to services and stores, and higher traffic safety were more likely to be moderate level of physical activity (odds ratio [OR]: 1.90, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07-3.37; OR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.12-2.80). The perception of having easy access to services and stores and seeing many physically active people in the neighborhood were both positively associated with a high level of physical activity (OR: 2.25, 95% CI: 1.01-5.01; OR: 2.40, 95% CI: 1.11-5.23)., Conclusions: Different perceived neighborhood environmental factors were associated with moderate and high levels of physical activity, respectively. These findings highlight the importance of an activity-friendly neighborhood environment to stimulate engagement in physical activity among adults in Taiwan. Therefore, policies and programs should focus on improving friendliness and diversity in neighborhoods to facilitate individuals' transitions from inactive to active lifestyles.

Promising initial insights show that offices designed to permit physical activity (PA) may reduce workplace sitting time. Biophilic approaches are intended to introduce natural surroundings into the workplace, and preliminary data show positive effects on stress reduction and elevated productivity within the workplace. The primary aim of this pilot study was to analyze changes in workplace sitting time and self-reported habit strength concerning uninterrupted sitting and PA during work, when relocating from a traditional office setting to "active" biophilic-designed surroundings. The secondary aim was to assess possible changes in work-associated factors such as satisfaction with the office environment, work engagement, and work performance, among office staff. In a pre-post designed field study, we collected data through an online survey on health behavior at work. Twelve participants completed the survey before (one-month pre-relocation, T 1 ) and twice after the office relocation (three months (T 2 ) and seven months post-relocation (T 3 )). Standing time per day during office hours increased from T 1 to T 3 by about 40 min per day ( p < 0.01). Other outcomes remained unaltered. The results suggest that changing office surroundings to an active-permissive biophilic design increased standing time during working hours. Future larger-scale controlled studies are warranted to investigate the influence of office design on sitting time and work-associated factors during working hours in depth.

Objectives: We tested whether objectively assessed neighbourhood characteristics are associated with moderate-to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and cycling in Swiss children and adolescents and assessed the mediating role of the perception of the environment., Methods: The cross-sectional analyses were based on data of 1306 participants aged 6-16 years of the population-based SOPHYA study. MVPA was measured by accelerometry, time spent cycling and the perceived environment by questionnaire. Objective environmental parameters at the residential address were GIS derived. In all analyses, personal, social and environmental factors were considered., Results: MVPA showed significant positive associations with perceived personal safety and perceived access to green spaces but not with respective objective parameters. Objectively assessed main street density and shorter distance to the next public transport were associated with less cycling in adolescents. Parents' perceptions did not mediate the observed associations of the objectively assessed environment with MVPA and cycling., Conclusions: Associations between the environment and physical activity differ by domain. In spatial planning efforts to improve objective environments should be complemented with efforts to increase parental sense of security.

Objective: The objective of the study is to examine whether adolescents' road safety perception (RSP) acts as a mediator on the association between the distance from home to the nearest park and the use of the parks for physical activity (PA)., Study Design: This is a cross-sectional study., Methods: The evaluation was through a random sample of 1130 adolescents (534 male), corresponding to 47.3%, 14-20 years old, from Porto Alegre, Brazil. RSP was assessed through some questions of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale for Youth. Park use, socioeconomic status, age, and sex were measured using a questionnaire. Distance from home to the nearest park was evaluated through geographic information system. Data analysis was performed using Pearson correlation, and linear regression models were fitted as per the Baron and Kenny procedures for mediation analyses. All analyses were adjusted for sex and socioeconomic status., Results: Road safety perception is independently associated with less distance from home to the nearest park (P = 0.04) and use of the parks for PA (P = 0.02). Road safety perception is a mediator and explains 16% of the association between park use and distance from home to the park (indirect Effect = -40.9966; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 119.3733-2.2455)., Conclusion: Our findings indicated that RSP is a mediator on the association between the distance from home to the nearest park and the use of the parks for PA. Future studies should take this into consideration frequency and intensity of PA and other environmental characteristics, such as crime, aesthetics, and neighborhood facilities., (Copyright © 2018 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The deprivation amplification hypothesis postulates that the socially disadvantaged are exposed to further structural deprivation by their residential environment such that social inequalities are therefore amplified. To date, no publication has investigated deprivation amplification solely using playgrounds; the present health geography study investigates this hypothesis with regard to the availability of playgrounds in a typical large German city., Study Design: Between July 2016 and January 2017, all playgrounds in the city of Mannheim, Germany, were identified and evaluated by systematic audits. The playground attributes such as availability, accessibility, surface area, and provided amenities were operationalized using well-established, validated instruments., Methods: Geo-information about playgrounds was digitalized in ArcGIS 10.2-10.4 and linked to socioeconomic indicators on the meso-level, that is, on the level of 44 social areas. Availability and accessibility of playgrounds were quantified by calculating kernel density and Euclidean distance, respectively. Playground surface area and equipment provided were linked to the number of children and adolescents in the particular social area. The association between availability and accessibility of playgrounds and area-level indicators were assessed using bivariate and multiple Poisson regressions on the meso-level., Results: In the city of Mannheim, which covers 145 km 2 and is home to 311,000 inhabitants, 271 playgrounds were identified. Bivariate and multiple analyses showed no association between availability and accessibility of playgrounds and area-level indicators. However, significant negative associations were found in the bivariate analyses between playground area and amenities provided per child and various area-level indicators, but not in multiple models., Conclusions: Children are provided with different opportunities to play and to be physically active, depending upon the population density of their social neighborhood. At least in our study area, many socially disadvantaged families are forced to move to densely populated areas for economic reasons. Against that background, the phenomenon of 'deprivation amplification' was not confirmed for availability and accessibility of playgrounds but for playground area and number of amenities provided., (Copyright © 2018 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To determine the health impacts of three future scenarios of travel behavior by mode for the City of Los Angeles, California, and to provide specific recommendations for how to conduct health impact assessments of local transportation plans on a more routine basis., Methods: We used the Integrated Transportation and Health Impact Model to assess the health impacts of the Los Angeles Mobility Plan 2035 by using environmental impact report data on miles traveled by mode under alternative implementation scenarios as inputs. The Integrated Transportation and Health Impact Model links region-wide changes in travel behavior to population exposures to physical activity, air pollution, and traffic collisions and associated health outcomes and costs., Results: The largest impacts were on cardiovascular disease through increases in physical activity. Reductions in air pollution-related illnesses were more modest. Traffic injuries and deaths increased across all scenarios but were greatly reduced through targeted roadway safety enhancements accounted for outside the model., Conclusions: By establishing miles travelled as the metric for transportation impacts of statewide and regional plans, states can leverage existing data sources to more routinely consider health impacts as part of environmental impact reports. While not insurmountable, challenges remain regarding the incorporation of land use and roadway safety strategies into health impact estimates.

Background: Active travel to and from a transit station may provide significant amounts of physical activity and improve health. The ease with which people can traverse the distance to the transit station may impede or support active travel. Therefore, transit stations that have features that are supportive of utilitarian physical activity would be desirable. This study aimed to characterize the built environment surrounding new light rail transit (LRT) stations in the City of Houston, Texas., Methods: In 2014, we used a series of systematic protocols and a standardized environmental audit instrument, the Analytic Audit Tool, to collect data on segments (streets) that surround 22 LRT stations that were being newly built. Using Geographic Information System (GIS), we assembled all the segments that intersect a 0.25-mile circular buffer around each station for the audit exercise. Several 3- to 4-member teams of trained auditors completed the audit exercise on a subset of these identified segments. Our analysis were descriptive in nature. We provided the frequency distributions of audited features across the study area. We also followed an original algorithm to produce several composite index scores for our study area. The composite index score is indicative of the prevalence of physical activity friendly/unfriendly features in the study area., Results: In all, we audited a total of 590 segments covering a total of 218 US Census blocks, and eight City of Houston super neighborhoods. Findings suggest the environment around the new LRT stations may not be supportive of physical activity. In general, the audited segments lacked land use integration; had abandoned buildings, had uneven sidewalks; were not bike-friendly, had minimal presence of public-recreational facilities that would support physical activity; and had significant physical disorder. Notably, certain attractive and comfort features were frequently to usually available., Conclusions: Current findings, which will be compared to follow-up audit data, can be useful for future researchers and practitioners interested in the built environment around LRT stations.

The aim of the article is to identify which groups of factors (economic, social, and spatial) significantly determine the condition and development of the sports and recreation infrastructure of the city of Poznan and shape the needs and expectations of its residents. Standardized interviews among 39 service providers and 1159 service recipients made it possible to collect primary data on the presentation of the pace and directions of changes taking place in the sports and recreational facilities of the city, paying special attention to identifying and prioritizing factors determining this development. In order to establish the hierarchy of factors analyzed in the paper and operating within the same research problem for both groups of respondents (service recipients and service providers), the Anderson-Darling test was used. The test results were referenced to the already existing " Sportowy Poznan " ("Sports Poznan") program. The assessment made by service recipients shows that the factor having the strongest limiting effect on the use of sports and recreation services is the economic factor. In the assessment made by the respondents using their services, the efforts of city authorities to make Poznan sports clubs operate in a professional manner gained the lowest score. The results of the Anderson⁻Darling test show that the social factor of preparing infrastructure for the residents of the city of Poznan was the most important for the respondents, obtaining a test value of 0.886.

This study aimed to investigate the association between the characteristics of the environment related to physical activity and income in areas around schools in Curitiba, Paraná State, Brazil. A total of 888 street segments were audited with a systematic observation instrument in three sections (Routes, Segments, and Crossings) in a radius of 500 meters around 30 public schools. The total score was the sum of the sections. Data on income in the school neighborhood were obtained from the 2010 Population Census, and the linear distance from each school to the city center was calculated. Multilevel models (level one = segment; level two = school) were applied to the analysis, with estimates of weighted means and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). In the crude analysis, the highest variability between schools was observed in the Segments section (ICC = 0.41) and the lowest in the Routes section (ICC = 0.19). The street segments located around schools in the lowest income tertile reach an adjusted mean total score of 15.6 (95%CI: 13.0-18.3), nearly half of that in those with the highest income, which reached 30.7 points (95%CI; 28.0-33.5), with a significant difference between the tertiles (p < 0.001). The score for the more central areas of the city was 30.1 (95%CI: 26.9-33.4), significantly higher (p < 0.001) than for the more peripheral areas, where the score was 16.3 (95%CI: 12.8-19.8). The characteristics of the environment assessed by the Routes and Segments sections, in addition to the total score, were associated with the lowest income. An environment with worse quality in lower income areas is one of the iniquities that needs to be faced in Brazil's metropolises in order to help improve the people's health.

Physical inactivity is estimated to be the fourth leading cause of global mortality. Strategies to increase physical activity (PA) increasingly emphasize environmental and policy changes including the modification of neighborhood environments to promote walking and other forms of healthy activity. Open Streets (OS) initiatives, an important and growing strategy to modify neighborhood environments for PA, create temporary parks for recreational activity by closing streets to motor vehicle traffic, thereby offering health and community building benefits. We used the Stanford Neighborhood Discovery Tool (DT)-photo/voice software on a tablet-to train neighborhood residents to act as "citizen scientist" observers of the local built environment on a non-event day and during an OS initiative. The purposes of this project were as follows: (1) to assess adult residents' perceptions of neighborhood characteristics of the OS initiative in three socioeconomically diverse sites and (2) to test the DT for use in three international urban settings with OS initiatives; Bogota, Colombia; San Francisco, USA; and Temuco, Chile, among a multigenerational, multiethnic sample of adults including, for the first time, a vulnerable population of homeless adults (Bogota). Using the DT, participants walked an OS route taking photos and recording reasons for the photos, then completed a 25-item demographic/environmental observation survey and a 16-item Reflection Survey on perceived environmental changes. A total of 18 themes were reported by participants with areas of overlapping themes (e.g., Community and Social Connectedness) and areas where a single site reported a theme (e.g., Social Isolation in Older Adults). Ten of the 18 themes were identified by at least two sites including "Bike Resources" and "Services", indicating the value of programming at OS initiatives. The themes of "Festive Environment" and "Family Friendly Environment" reflect the quality of the overall environment for participants. Four themes (Community and Social Connectedness, Family Friendly Environment, PA, and Safety) were reported by all sites. Three of the four unifying themes were also ranked among the highest reported categories of "seemed better" on the Reflection Survey (Ease of Walking, Overall Safety of Neighborhood, and Friendliness of Environment), providing additional confirmation of the shared experience of social, health, and psychological benefits from OS initiatives. OS initiatives offer a global strategy for increasing neighborhood opportunities for PA and a potential site for training citizen scientists to document environmental influences on PA.

Neighborhood parks are important venues for the urban population to do moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in leisure time. Parks can be particularly important for low-income neighborhoods, whose residents suffer from high rates of chronic diseases and may have less access to fee-based fitness exercise facilities. This study assessed the contribution of parks to local populations' physical activity in 48 high-poverty neighborhoods in the city of Los Angeles, using systematic observation of park use and surveys of park users and residents conducted between 2013 and 2015. We found that parks accounted for approximately 2.1% (between-park SD = 1.4%) of moderate physical activity time and 3.1% (between-park SD = 2.1%) of vigorous physical activity time of the local population, both of which were notably lower than the city-level average previously reported. Parks' contribution to physical activity was positively associated with park size (β = 0.13, p < 0.0001) and negatively associated with poverty (β = - 0.10, p < 0.0001) and local population density (β = - 0.25, p = 0.005). Parks in high-poverty neighborhoods in Los Angeles are underutilized, and more efforts are needed to fully realize their potential for population health.

Public parks provide places for urban residents to obtain physical activity (PA), which is associated with numerous health benefits. Adding facilities to existing parks could be a cost-effective approach to increase the duration of PA that occurs during park visits. Using objectively measured PA and comprehensively measured park visit data among an urban community-dwelling sample of adults, we tested the association between the variety of park facilities that directly support PA and the duration of PA during park visits where any PA occurred. Cross-classified multilevel models were used to account for the clustering of park visits (n = 1553) within individuals (n = 372) and parks (n = 233). Each additional different PA facility at a park was independently associated with a 6.8% longer duration of PA bouts that included light-intensity activity, and an 8.7% longer duration of moderate to vigorous PA time. Findings from this study are consistent with the hypothesis that more PA facilities increase the amount of PA that visitors obtain while already active at a park.

Background: Residential environments may significantly influence youth physical activity (PA). However, few studies have examined detailed street quality attributes via observational audits in relation to context-specific PA among youth., Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore whether the overall quality of street environments, as well as specific attributes, was associated with neighbourhood-based and street-based PA within a national sample of youth in the Healthy Communities Study., Methods: Data were collected from 4616 youth from 130 communities across the USA. Youth PA in the neighbourhood and on the participant's street was captured using 7-d recall interviews. Windshield survey observational audits documented five street quality variables: burned, boarded up or abandoned residential units, litter, overall condition of residences, street type and presence of sidewalks in good condition., Results: Youth with no litter on their street reported significantly lower neighbourhood-based PA and youth living on a side street, cul-de-sac, dead-end or one-way street reported greater neighbourhood-based PA. No significant associations were detected for the overall street quality index or with street-based PA., Conclusions: Specific street quality attributes may be associated with youth PA. Further research and collaboration between diverse disciplines and agencies should focus on understanding and improving street quality to promote youth PA and health., (© 2018 World Obesity Federation.)

Background: The ability to 'age in place' is dependent on a range of inter-personal, social and built environment attributes, with the latter being a key area for potential intervention. There is an emerging body of evidence that indicates the type of built environment features that may best support age friendly communities, but there is a need to expand and consolidate this, while generating a better understanding of how on how research findings can be most effectively be translated in to policy and practice., Methods: The study is based on two case study cities, Curtiba (Brazil) and Belfast (UK), which have highly contrasting physical, social and policy environments. The study deploys a mix methods approach, mirrored in each city. This includes the recruitment of 300 participants in each city to wear GPS and accelerometers, a survey capturing physical functioning and other personal attributes, as well as their perception of their local environment using NEWS-A. The study will also measure the built environments of the cities using GIS and develop a tool for auditing the routes used by participants around their neighbourhoods. The study seeks to comparatively map the policy actors and resources involved in healthy ageing in the two cities through interviews, focus groups and discourse analysis. Finally, the study has a significant knowledge exchange component, including the development of a tool to assess the capacities of both researchers and research users to maximise the impact of the research findings., Discussion: The HULAP study has been designed and implemented by a multi-disciplinary team and integrates differing methodologies to purposefully impact on policy and practice on healthy ageing in high and low-middle income countries. It has particular strengths in its combination of objective and self-reported measures using validated tools and the integration of GPS, accelerometer and GIS data to provide a robust assessment of 'spatial energetics'. The strong knowledge exchange strand means that the study is expected to also contribute to our understanding of how to maximise research impact in this field and create effective evidence for linking older adult's physical activity with the social, built and policy environments.

Background: Walkability is considered an important dimension of healthy communities. However, variable associations between measures of walkability and physical activity have been observed, particularly among older persons. Given the challenges older persons may have navigating stairs on walking routes, the presence of stairs may be an explanatory factor for these mixed associations. The purposes of this scoping review were to determine whether studies examining the relationship between walkability and physical activity included items that assessed stairs and what relationships were found., Methods: Systematic reviews were identified by entering search terms into five database search engines. Eligibility criteria were: a) published between 2008 and 2017, b) examined the relationship between walkability and physical activity, c) included a focus on persons aged 65 years and older, and d) written in English. The full articles for all primary studies included in eligible systematic reviews were then retrieved. Duplicates were removed. Information about where the study took place, walkability measures used, types of walkability data obtained (objective and/or subjective) and questions asked about stairs were extracted from the full text articles., Results: Eleven systematic reviews were identified; seven were eligible. After removing duplicates, 289 primary studies remained for review. Measures of neighborhood walkability were present in 205 studies; a minority (n = 5, 2.4%) included items about stairs. No information was obtained on the structural features of the stairs., Conclusions: The presence of stairs may deter older persons (and others) from walking outdoors. Standard measures to document the presence and characteristics of stairs, and sampling approaches to select stairs for assessment are needed. The inclusion of these measures would augment the utility and comparability of studies examining relationships between walkability and physical activity and better inform planning and policy decisions.

Background: Numerous cross-sectional studies have consistently demonstrated an association between attributes of urban form or 'walkability' and individual- and population-level physical activity (PA) patterns. However, in the absence of longitudinal research, the self-selection problem undermines the claim that a walkable built form produces more physically active people. Through a longitudinal pilot study of 'imminent movers' in Ontario using a quasi-experimental approach, we sought to examine the feasibility of longitudinal methods that would produce stronger evidence for a causal relationship between the built environment and PA levels., Methods: Participants were recruited using publicly available real estate listings. Successful recruits were sent a PA diary to track their activity for a week, and were also scheduled for a 45-min phone interview that collected demographic details, neighbourhood perceptions and self-efficacy for walking, and verified the PA diary. Following their move, participants were given the same tasks and then sorted into groups based on changes in their neighbourhood walkability (measured with Walk Score) from baseline to follow-up., Results: There were challenges in recruiting a sufficient number of participants and counter-factuals to examine the relationship between changes in walkability and PA. Our limited sample showed a substantial decrease in Walk Score over the entire sample, from an average of 45.8 to 30.6, with most participants moving to less walkable areas. From baseline to follow-up, the largest declines in reported self-efficacy for walking were to grocery stores, banks, and for entertainment. For the entire sample, utilitarian PA decreased, while recreational and job-related PA increased., Conclusions: This pilot study highlighted the methodological challenges involved in collecting quasi-experimental evidence on the effect of walkable environments on PA. Additionally, the low sample size and the tendency for most participants to move to less walkable areas meant there were insufficient counter-factuals for study of the effect of walkability on PA. Despite these challenges, we saw important changes in self-efficacy for walking that were commensurate with changes to the built environment. In sum, while longitudinal research on health and the built environment is urgently needed, recruiting an adequate sample size for a quasi-experimental study such as this is extremely challenging.

Identifying correlates of sedentary behaviour across all levels of the ecological model and understanding their interrelations is a promising method to plan effective interventions. The present study examined whether the objectively assessed and the perceived neighbourhood are associated with children&rsquo;s sedentary behaviour time (SBT). A comprehensive set of factors at different levels of influence across the ecological model were taken into account and analysed for mediating and modifying effects. Analyses were based on 1306 children and adolescents (6⁻16 years) participating in the population-based SOPHYA-study. Accelerometers were used to assess SBT, the perceived environment was examined by a validated parental questionnaire, and objective environmental data were allocated using GIS (ArcMap 10.2, Esri, Redlands, CA, USA) for each family&rsquo;s residential address. A high perceived safety was associated with less SBT. Boys, those whose residential neighbourhood was characterized by dead ends in urban areas, a low main street density in the neighbourhood of children and greenness were less likely to exhibit SBT. The association of the objective environment with the respective parental perceptions was low and no significant mediating effect was found for the perceived environment. We conclude for land-use planning to reduce sedentary behaviour objective environments should be complemented with efforts to increase parental sense of security.

This study investigated how two public spaces for sport and recreation were utilized by different user groups, and how this aligned with the initial design objectives for these spaces. Two newly built urban spaces situated in Copenhagen, Denmark, provided the context for this investigation. The System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) was used to examine the physical activity of users in these two urban spaces. The architects responsible for designing each space were interviewed to ascertain the intended target group of each space and to unravel the reasons behind the design decisions. The SOPARC observations revealed that males were more vigorously active than females when using the recreation facilities, and the observed users did not align with the intended target groups. The interviews suggested that design decisions were based on minimal interdisciplinary knowledge, and that expert knowledge was chosen randomly. These findings point to a systematic lack of evidence-based practice when designing sport and recreational facilities. This article has implications for landscape architects and urban planners; a new method must be developed to embed interdisciplinary knowledge in the planning process of future sport and recreation projects. This must be done in a systematic way to make the design process transparent.

Background: To improve our understanding of the neighborhood environment - physical activity (PA) relationship, it is of importance to assess associations between neighborhood environmental characteristics and neighborhood-based PA., Methods: Participants' (N = 308; 45-65 years) light PA (LPA) and moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA) within a 400, 800, and 1600 m buffer around adults' homes was measured using accelerometers and GPS-devices. Land use data in ArcGIS provided neighborhood characteristics for the same buffers. Multilevel linear regression models, adjusted for socio-demographic variables and attitude towards PA, were used to assess associations of objective neighborhood characteristics with neighborhood-based LPA and MVPA., Results: LPA was positively associated with the proportions of roads (within a 400 m buffer), and negatively associated with the proportions of recreational areas (within an 800 m buffer), and the proportion of green space (within the 800 m and 1600 m buffers). Multiple characteristics of 400 m buffers were positively associated with MVPA, i.e. proportions of green space, blue space, residences, shops and foodservice industry, sports terrain, and public social-cultural facilities. Also, characteristics of larger buffers were positively associated with MVPA, i.e. the proportions of shops and foodservice industry, sports terrain, and blue space (within an 800 m buffer), and the proportion of public social-cultural facilities (within the 800 m and 1600 m buffers)., Conclusions: Objective neighborhood characteristics of smaller as well as larger sized buffers were associated with neighborhood-based LPA and MVPA. Green and blue spaces seem to be of particular importance for PA in the smallest buffer, i.e. in the direct surrounding of adults' homes.

The health benefits of regular physical activity are substantial and well-established. However, population activity levels are insufficient to obtain health benefits in the United Kingdom (UK), and strategies to increase activity, particularly in income-deprived communities, are sought. Socioecological models of physical activity posit that activity levels are influenced by social, physical and wider environmental factors. In line with a growing evidence base, there is a need to understand the factors that contribute to an activity-supportive neighbourhood within deprived settings within the UK. This study used photo-elicitation qualitative interviews to explore environmental facilitators and barriers to neighbourhood-based, outdoor physical activity in 23 adults living in two income-deprived neighbourhoods in Glasgow, UK. Data were collected between June and October 2015, and were explored using thematic analysis. Five themes were identified: 'diversity of destinations in the neighbourhood', 'provision of services to support healthy environments', 'ownership of public space and facilities to encourage physical activity', 'collective control of public space to prevent disorder' and 'perceived value of the neighbourhood'. Findings highlighted the close interaction between these themes and more broadly between social and physical facets of neighbourhood environments that were unsupportive of physical activity. Discourse about economic aspects was pervasive and emerged as deeply affecting characteristics of the social and physical environment and upstream influences on physical activity. This study supports evidence that multi-faceted interventions addressing aspects of the social, physical and economic environment may be needed to support outdoor physical activity in deprived communities., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Female adolescents are less active than male peers in certain contexts including the neighborhood. Adolescents' physical activity can be explained by interactions between environmental and psychosocial factors, but few studies have tested such interactions in relation to context-specific behaviors. This study tested interactions between neighborhood environmental and psychosocial factors in relation to adolescents' context-specific physical activity. Data were collected in 2009-11 from 910 adolescents and a parent/guardian residing in the Baltimore/Seattle regions. Measures included adolescent-reported neighborhood leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and non-neighborhood LTPA, accelerometer-based non-school moderate-to vigorous-physical activity (MVPA), psychosocial factors, and objective and parent-perceived neighborhood environmental factors. Gender-stratified mixed effects linear models tested associations of 6 environmental and 4 psychosocial factors and their interactions in relation to each physical activity outcome. The psychosocial factors had consistent associations with the physical activity outcomes but the environmental correlates were context-specific. Decisional balance (weighing of pros and cons of physical activity) moderated the association between recreation facility density and neighborhood LTPA among females, with a negative association only among those with high decisional balance (pros outweighed cons). Decisional balance also moderated associations of neighborhood walkability with non-school MVPA among females and non-neighborhood LTPA among males, with positive associations only among those with high decisional balance. Results support context-specific ecological models of physical activity. Targeting environmental factors that may promote opportunities for physical activity in specific contexts as well as adolescent decision-making may help promote their physical activity in those contexts, potentially leading to increased overall physical activity., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Childhood obesity may be related to school environment, but previous studies often focused on food environment only. This study aimed to examine the relationship between school physical activity environment and childhood obesity., Study Design: This is a cross-sectional study with multilevel data collected on school physical activity environment using teacher questionnaires, students' growth, and obesity status from electronic health records, and neighborhood socioeconomic status from census data., Results: This study included 208 280 students (6-18 years of age) from 438 schools (45% of Hong Kong). Prevalence of obesity was 5.0%. After controlling for socioeconomic status and intraschool correlation, robust Poisson regression revealed a reduced obesity risk associated with higher teachers' perceived physical activity benefits (risk ratio 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.99, P = .02), physical activity teaching experience (0.93, 0.91-0.96, P < .001), school campus size (0.93, 0.87-0.99, P = .02), physical activity ethos (0.91, 0.88-0.94, P < .001), number of physical activity programs (0.93, 0.90-0.96, P < .001), and physical activity facilities (0.87, 0.84-0.90, P < .001). Students in schools with at least 3 physical activity-friendly environmental factors (11.7%) had a much lower risk of obesity (0.68, 0.62-0.75, P < .001) than those without (23.7%)., Conclusions: A physical activity-friendly school environment is associated with lower risk of obesity. School physical activity environment should be considered in future epidemiologic and intervention studies., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Environmental factors have been associated with specific physical activity domains, including leisure-time and transport physical activity, in some high income countries. Few studies have examined the environmental correlates for domain-specific physical activity in low-and middle-income countries, and results are inconsistent. We aimed to estimate the associations between perceived environment and self-reported leisure-time walking, moderate-to-vigorous leisure-time physical activity and transport physical activity among adults living in Cuernavaca, Mexico. A population-based study of adults 20 to 64years old was conducted in Cuernavaca, Mexico in 2011 (n=677). Leisure and transport physical activity was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Long Form. Perceptions of neighborhood environment were obtained by questionnaire. Hurdle regression models estimated the association between environmental perceptions and participation and time spent in each physical activity domain. High perceived aesthetics were positively correlated with participation and time spent in leisure-time walking and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. SES differences existed for aesthetics in relation to participation in leisure-time walking. Participation in transport physical activity was positively associated with easy access to large parks, while closer distance to large parks was a negative correlate for participation and time-spent in this physical activity domain. Results suggest that perceived environmental characteristics related with physical activity are domain specific. High perceived aesthetics were an important correlate for leisure-time activities among Mexican adults, suggesting that policy strategies aimed at improving this environmental perception may be warranted. Patterns of associations between environmental correlates and transport physical activity differed from those reported in commonly studied high income countries., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Many cities in China have undergone rapid urbanization and are experiencing a decline in residents' physical activity levels. Previous studies have reported inconsistent findings on the association between 3D's (density, diversity, design) and walking behavior, and few studies have been conducted in China. The aim of this study was to identify the association between objectively measured 3D's and different domains of walking (transport vs. leisure) in Hong Kong, China. A survey was conducted in 2014 to collect walking data and relevant individual data from 1078 participants aged 18-65. The participants were randomly selected from 36 Hong Kong housing estates with different built environment and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES). Built environment factors-population design, land-use mix and street intersection density-were assessed using a geographic information system. Multi-level regression was used to explore the associations between walking behavior and built environment factors, while adjusting for covariates. Two out the three D's-land-use mix and street connectivity-are not significantly related to any domains of walking. Furthermore, the third D, population density, is only positively related to walking for transport and walking for leisure in the lower range of density, while is negatively related to walking for leisure in the higher range of density. The findings suggest that the association between original 3D's and walking may vary in different urban contexts. The policy or planning strategy-using three D's to promote physical activity-may be ineffective or even counterproductive in large and already dense cities in China., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

India is currently facing a non-communicable disease epidemic. Physical activity (PA) is a preventative factor for non-communicable diseases. Understanding the role of the built environment (BE) to facilitate or constrain PA is essential for public health interventions to increase population PA. The objective of this study was to understand BEs associations with PA occurring in two major life domains or life areas-travel and leisure-in urban India. Between December 2014 and April 2015, in-person surveys were conducted with participants (N=370; female=47.2%) in Chennai, India. Perceived BE characteristics regarding residential density, land use mix-diversity, land use mix-access, street connectivity, infrastructure for walking and bicycling, aesthetics, traffic safety, and safety from crime were measured using the adapted Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale-India (NEWS-India). Self-reported PA was measured the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. High residential density was associated with greater odds of travel PA (aOR=1.9, 95% CI=1.2, 3.2). Land use mix-diversity was positively related to travel PA (aOR=2.1, 95%CI=1.2, 3.6), but not associated with leisure or total PA. The aggregate NEWS-India score predicted a two-fold increase in odds of travel PA (aOR=1.9, 95% CI=1.1, 3.1) and a 40% decrease in odds of leisure PA (aOR=0.6, 95% CI=0.4, 1.0). However, the association of the aggregated score with leisure PA was not significant. Results suggest that relationships between BE and PA in low-and-middle income countries may be context-specific, and may differ markedly from higher income countries. Findings have public health implications for India suggesting that caution should be taken when translating evidence across countries., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to investigate relationships between near-home street patterns and children's time spent outdoors (TSO). Participants were 60 (n=60) school-age Dhaka children, 7-11years old (16 girls and 44 boys) selected by a two-phase cluster sampling method. Data were collected from September 2010 to June 2011 by visiting each of 60 children's homes. Children's mean TSOs (in minutes) were reported by parents' face-to-face interviews, and near-home street pattern data were collected by systematic direct observations. The researchers also collected data on seven socio-demographic variables and three neighborhood built-environment variables. A backward selection based multiple linear regression was used to examine association between children's TSO and near-home street patterns. Results (adjusted R 2 =0.66 for weekdays and 0.68 for weekend) suggested that children's TSO were significantly associated with near-home street type: dead-end instead of through streets (28min on weekdays, p<0.01 and 66min on weekend, p<0.01). The width of the street, level of its branching and availability of an open space or playground near the house are also positively associated with TSO. Near-home street features significantly contribute to TSO in school-going children of Dhaka., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This study assessed the association of individual and neighborhood environment characteristics and objectively measured physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) in adults from Curitiba, Brazil., Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted through face-to-face household interviews in 2010. The analytic sample included 305 adults aged 20-65 years recruited from 32 census tracts selected according to neighborhood walkability and socioeconomic status. Individual and environmental PA correlates were evaluated through standardized and valid self-reported measures, including the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale. Minutes per week of PA and ST were assessed through accelerometry. Multi-level regression models were used in the analyses., Results: After adjusting for confounders the strongest individual and environmental correlates associated with ST was residential density (B = 0.14; p = 0.008), light-intensity PA was being a father/mother (B = 35.71; p = 0.025) and moderate-to-vigorous PA was sex (B = 0.91; p < 0.001) and number of cars (one car, B = -1.05; two cars, B = -1.14; p < 0.001)., Conclusions: The associations found with individual and environmental correlates varied accordingly across all outcomes. Future changes in policies and infrastructure should consider the social context of the community and improvements to promote a safer environment in the neighborhood.

Purpose: The goal of this research is to examine the extent to which facets of neighborhood sociodemographic contexts influence individual-level physical activity (PA) among youth., Design: Using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), geographic information systems (GIS), and census data sources, we explicitly test whether built environment factors have differential associations depending on the age and gender of the youth living in urban census tracts., Setting: Participants are from the NHANES 2003 to 2006 waves., Participants: The study sample for this article was 2706 youth aged 6 to 17 years with valid PA accelerometer measures., Measures: A measure of park accessibility was constructed from the 2006 park GIS layer in Environmental System Research Institute ArcGIS 9.3 data. Average daily minutes of moderate to vigorous PA in bouts equal to or longer than 1 minute were recorded using accelerometers over 4 to 7 days., Analysis: Analysis was conducted with SAS 9.2, including descriptive analyses and linear regression for PA., Results: Findings suggest that built environment features are especially salient for adolescents and youth living in urban areas. Vigorous activity varied by the age and gender of the youth. For example, greater distance to parks is associated with a decrease in PA among girls and boys aged 6 to 11 years. Among teens, distance to parks is significantly associated with decreases in PA among the total sample and among male teens. However, an increase in population density is associated with less time spent in PA among youth aged 6 to 11 years but more PA among teens., Conclusion: These analyses represent an important step to considering the implications of modifiable environmental features for youth and contrast with existing literature for adults. Results speak to the efficacy of built environment measures in urban communities and the importance of considering the possibility of differing patterns of associations in childhood and adolescence and by gender. Results from this research inform policy efforts to interdict in the growing trend of youth inactivity in the United States.

Although physical activity can help mitigate or prevent multiple chronic diseases, most people in the U.S., especially high-poverty minority groups, engage in insufficient levels of physical activity. To test ways to promote more physical activity in high-poverty area public parks we conducted a randomized controlled intervention trial. After completing baseline measures of park-based physical activity using systematic direct observation three times/day each month for six months and assessing preferences for park programming among 1445 residents living within 1 mile of study parks, we randomized 48 parks in high poverty neighborhoods in the City of Los Angeles, California during 2013-2014 to four study arms: 1) free physical activity classes over a 6-month period, 2) a frequent user program where participants could win prizes based upon the number of visits they made to the park, 3) both the programs, and 4) neither one (control condition). We re-measured park use in 2014-2015 using the same methods during the six months the intervention programs were in operation. A total of 2047 free park classes were offered attracting 16,718 participants. The frequent user programs enrolled 1452 individuals and prizes were awarded to 830. Residents in the two study arms with free classes were more likely to report being aware of and participating in park-based physical activity programs; however, overall observed park-based physical activity increased similarly across all study arms. The process evaluation uncovered several barriers to program implementation, including inconsistent scheduling of classes, partly due to safety concerns among instructors. Multiple social factors interfere with leisure time physical activity among low-income populations, suggesting modest interventions may be insufficient to overcome these issues. Although new park programs can attract users, new programs alone may be insufficient to increase overall park use in low-income neighborhoods at times when the programs are not taking place., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Natural environments (NE) are promoted as places that support physical activity (PA), but evidence on PA distribution across various types and sizes of NE is lacking. Accelerometers and GPS-devices measured PA of Dutch general population adults aged 45-65 years (N=279). Five NE types were distinguished: 'parks', 'recreational area', 'agricultural green', 'forest & moorland', and 'blue space', and four categories of size: 0-3, 3-7, 7-27, and ≥27 ha. Modality (i.e. spatially concentrated PA, walking, jogging, and cycling) and intensity (i.e. sedentary behavior, LPA, and MVPA) of PA varied significantly between NE types. Compared to parks, less sedentary behavior and walking but more spatially concentrated PA was observed in recreational areas and green space. Cycling levels were found to be significantly lower in recreational areas and forest & moorland, but higher in blue space as compared to parks. Larger sized NE (≥7 ha) were associated with higher levels of MVPA, walking, jogging and cycling. Insight in which environments (according to type and size) facilitate PA, contributes to the development of tailored PA promoting interventions with ensuing implications for public health., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Research on the association between the built environment and moderate and vigorous physical activities (MVPA) is still evolving. Therefore, more evidence is needed. This study examines the relationship between built environment and MVPA in Korean adults., Methods: A large sample of 204 324 adults from the 2012 Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS) was analyzed. MVPA was assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Individual correlates from the KCHS and community built environment data from the Korean government were collected. A multilevel logistic regression was performed using the GLIMMIX procedure., Results: Residents in cities (OR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.60-0.93) and districts (OR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.52-0.94) were less likely to engage in MVPA than residents in counties. While residents in communities with the least amount of physical equipment were less likely to participate in MVPA (OR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.57-0.90), residents in communities with the second smallest area of open space for PA were more likely to be active (OR = 1.37, 95% CI 1.07-1.77). The effect of built environment on MVPA was significant but relatively weak in comparison to the influence of individual correlates., Conclusions: To improve MVPA in adults, a community built environment should be considered along with individual correlates., (© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Walking, and in particular, outdoor walking, is the most common form of physical activity for older adults. To date, no study investigated the association between the neighborhood built environment and physical activity habits of older adults of low SES. Thus, our overarching aim was to examine the association between the neighborhood built environment and the spectrum of physical activity and walking for transportation in older adults of low socioeconomic status., Methods: Cross-sectional data were from the Walk the Talk Study, collected in 2012. Participants (n = 161, mean age = 74 years) were in receipt of a rental subsidy for low income individuals and resided in neighbourhoods across Metro Vancouver, Canada. We used the Street Smart Walk Score to objectively characterize the built environment main effect (walkability), accelerometry for objective physical activity, and the Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors (CHAMPS) questionnaire to measure walking for transportation. We used regression analyses to examine associations of objectively measured physical activity [total volume, light intensity and moderate intensity physical activity (MVPA)] and self-reported walking for transportation (any, frequency, duration) with walkability. We adjusted analyses for person- and environment-level factors associated with older adult physical activity., Results: Neighbourhood walkability was not associated with physical activity volume or intensity and self-reported walking for transportation, with one exception. Each 10-point increase in Street Smart Walk Score was associated with a 45% greater odds of any walking for transportation (compared with none; OR = 1.45, 95% confidence interval = 1.18, 1.78). Sociodemographic, physical function and attitudinal factors were significant predictors of physical activity across our models., Conclusions: The lack of associations between most of the explored outcomes may be due to the complexity of the relation between the person and environment. Given that this is the first study to explore these associations specifically in older adults living on low income, this study should be replicated in other settings.

Background: To more accurately quantify the potential impact of the neighbourhood environment on adults' physical activity (PA), it is important to compare environment-PA associations between periods of the day or week when adults are more versus less likely to be in their neighbourhood and utilise its PA resources. We examined whether, among adults from 10 countries, associations between objectively-assessed neighbourhood environment attributes and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) varied by time of the day and day of the week. The secondary aim was to examine whether such associations varied by employment status, gender and city., Methods: This cross-sectional study included 6,712 adults from 14 cities across 10 countries with ≥1 day of valid accelerometer-assessed MVPA and complete information on socio-demographic and objectively-assessed environmental characteristics within 0.5 and 1 km street-network buffers around the home. Accelerometer measures (MVPA min/h) were created for six time periods from early morning until late evening/night, for weekdays and weekend days separately. Associations were estimated using generalized additive mixed models., Results: Time of the day, day of week, gender and employment status were significant moderators of environment-MVPA associations. Land use mix was positively associated with MVPA in women who were employed and in men irrespective of their employment status. The positive associations between MVPA and net residential density, intersection density and land use mix were stronger in the mornings of weekdays and the afternoon/evening periods of both weekdays and weekend days. Associations between number of parks and MVPA were stronger in the mornings and afternoon/evenings irrespective of day of the week. Public transport density showed consistent positive associations with MVPA during weekends, while stronger effects on weekdays were observed in the morning and early evenings., Conclusions: This study suggests that space and time constraints in adults' daily activities are important factors that determine the impact of neighbourhood attributes on PA. Consideration of time-specific associations is important to better characterise the magnitude of the effects of the neighbourhood environment on PA. Future research will need to examine the contribution of built environment characteristics of areas surrounding other types of daily life centres (e.g., workplaces) to explaining adults' PA at specific times of the day.

While neighborhood design can potentially influence routine outdoor physical activities (PA), little is known concerning its effects on such activities among older adults attempting to increase their PA levels. We evaluated the effects of living in neighborhoods differing in compactness on changes in routine outdoor activities (e.g., walking, gardening, yard work) among older adults at increased mobility disability risk participating in the LIFE-Pilot PA trial (2003-07; ages 70-89years; from Dallas, TX, San Francisco Bay area, Pittsburgh, PA, and Winston-Salem, NC). Analyses were conducted on the 400 LIFE-Pilot participants randomized to a one-year endurance-plus-strengthening PA intervention or health education control that completed one-year PA assessment (CHAMPS questionnaire). Outcomes of interest were exercise and leisure walking, walking for errands, and moderate-intensity gardening. Neighborhood compactness was assessed objectively using geographic information systems via a subsequent grant (2008-12). PA increased weekly exercise and leisure walking relative to control, irrespective of neighborhood compactness. However, walking for errands decreased significantly more in PA relative to control (net mean [SD] difference=16.2min/week [7.7], p=0.037), particularly among those living in less compact neighborhoods (net mean [SD] difference=29.8 [10.8] minutes/week, p=0.006). PA participants living in less compact neighborhoods maintained or increased participation in gardening and yard work to a greater extent than controls (net mean [SD] difference=29.3 [10.8] minutes/week, p=0.007). The results indicate that formal targeting of active transport as an adjunct to structured PA programs may be important to diminish potential compensatory responses in functionally impaired older adults. Structured endurance-plus-strengthening PA may help older adults maintain or increase such routine activities over time., Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier=NCT01072500., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: There are several well-known risk factor monitoring systems, but few examples of comprehensive surveillance systems designed specifically to inform physical activity (PA) policy. This paper examines the utility of Canada`s Physical Activity and Sport Monitoring System in guiding policy and practice., Methods: Indicators were determined in conjunction with government, nongovernmental associations and academics. Serial measures were collected from representative population (telephone interviews, n = 4000 to 11,000) and setting-based (postal surveys, n = 1425 to 4304) surveys., Results: Adult PA was higher in 2014 (47%) than 1998 (37%). The prevalence of knowledge about sufficient PA to meet national guidelines increased (31% to 57%). Most adults (66%) reported having many safe places to walk locally. Having policies to encourage walking and cycling when redeveloping communities increased by community size (5% to 37%). PA promotion was available in 10% to 15% of workplaces. Most parents (64%) provided transportation to support their child's PA. The prevalence of policies mandating daily PE increased 2001 to 2011 (36% to 55%), as did having no policy to hire qualified PE teachers (25% to 34%)., Conclusions: Canada's surveillance system has provided information for guiding policy planning, resource allocation, setting and tracking national goals, assessing changes in PA determinants, and evaluating national campaigns, naturally occurring experiments, and innovative policies.

Objectives: To assess the quality of public physical activity resources (PARs) in a low socio-economic community in the Olympic city of Rio de Janeiro., Methods: The Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA) instrument was used to assess all 29 public PARs located in this community. A quality indicator (QI) was developed based on PARA results., Results: The average QI of the areas assessed was 1.3 ± 6.40 and the median 1 point, a considerably low score if compared to scores of public PARs across the city (13.6 ± 4.91 and 13 points)., Conclusions: The urban regeneration necessary for hosting mega-sport events is frequently promoted as an opportunity to enhance PARs and therefore to improve health through physical activity (PA) participation. Findings indicate that the high number of elements that can discourage the use of these spaces may help explain the low level of PA during leisure time that has been previously reported of residents of the same neighborhood. Whether using the Olympic Games as catalyst or not, policies designed to encourage PA should focus also on the built environment.

Nearly one-third of adults report no leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). Governmental and authoritative bodies recognize the role that community design through zoning code changes can play in enabling LTPA. This study examined the association between zoning and no adult LTPA in the U.S. This study was conducted between 2012 and 2016, with analyses occurring in 2015-2016. Zoning codes effective as of 2010 were compiled for jurisdictions located in the 495 most populous U.S. counties and were evaluated for pedestrian-oriented code reform zoning, 11 active living-oriented provisions (e.g., sidewalks, bike-pedestrian connectivity, mixed use, bike lanes) and a summated zoning scale (max=12). Individual-level LTPA data were obtained from the 2012 CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). County-aggregated, population-weighted zoning variables were constructed for linking to BRFSS. Log-log multivariate regressions (N=147,517 adults), controlling for individual and county characteristics and with robust standard errors clustered on county, were conducted to examine associations between zoning and no LTPA. Relative risks (RR) compared predicted lack of LTPA at 0% and 100% county-level population exposure to each zoning predictor. Zoning code reforms were associated with a 13% lower probability of no LTPA (RR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.82-0.92). Except for crosswalks, all zoning provisions were associated with an 11-16% lower probability of no LTPA. Having all 12 zoning provisions was associated with a 22% lower probability of no LTPA (RR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.72-0.83). The results suggest that active living-oriented zoning is a policy lever available to communities seeking to reduce rates of no LTPA., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)