Association between daily physical activity and neighborhood environments Correlates of preschool children’s objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behavior: a cross-sectional analysis of the SPLASHY study Measured and perceived environmental characteristics are related to accelerometer defined physical activity in older adults Objective measures of neighborhood environment and physical activity in older women. The Association of Neighborhood Design and Recreational Environments with Physical Activity The effect of a movement-to-music video program on the objectively measured sedentary time and physical activity of preschool-aged children and their mothers: A randomized controlled trial Integrating the Perceived Neighborhood Environment and the Theory of Planned Behavior When Predicting Walking in a Canadian Adult Sample Relationships Between Physical Activity and the Proximity of Exercise Facilities and Home Exercise Equipment Used by Undergraduate University Students Perceived neighborhood environment and park use as mediators of the effect of area socio-economic status on walking behaviors. Active Living: development and quasi-experimental evaluation of a school-centered physical activity intervention for primary school children Objectively measured physical activity level and sedentary behavior in Norwegian children during a week in preschool☆ Out and about: association of the built environment with physical activity behaviors of adolescent females. Safe To Walk? Neighborhood Safety and Physical Activity Among Public Housing Residents Active commuting to school: Associations with environment and parental concerns. Physical activity and its correlates in children: a cross-sectional study (the GINIplus & LISAplus studies) Effects of modifying physical activity and sedentary behavior on psychosocial adjustment in overweight/obese children. Psychosocial correlates of physical activity and sedentary leisure habits in young adolescents: the Teens Eating for Energy and Nutrition at School study.
Objective Previous studies on the association between physical activity ( PA ) and neighborhood environments ( NE ) focused on either objective ly measuring the NE or the residents ’ perception of NE . Here , we investigate which actual or perceived NE is associated with  residents ’ PA in Japan . Methods Two regions with an objective ly assessed high and low residential density , l and use mix-diversity , and street connectivity , respectively , were identified in one city . The subjects were selected using a stratified r and om sampling method by sex and age in each region . The NE of the subjects was objective ly measured using the Geographic Information System ( GIS ) , and the subjects ' perception of the NE was assessed using a question naire . The  daily total number of walking steps was measured with an accelerometer , and walking and cycling time were assessed by a question naire . Results For the female subjects , the mean cycling time , subjectively assessed as a means of transport , was significantly longer in the group with a high GIS score for the number of l and use types , while the score for total number of walking steps was significantly higher among those who were aware of places to walk to , and cycling time for transport was longer for those who perceived an accessibility to post offices , banks/credit unions , gymnasiums/fitness facilities , and amusement facilities in their neighborhood . For the male subjects , the score for walking time for leisure was longer for those who perceived aesthetics and an accessibility to parks , and the score for total walking steps was significantly higher for those who perceived an accessibility to bookstores or rental video stores in their neighborhood . Conclusions The results to this study demonstrate that  daily PA  was high among female subjects living in a NE with l and use mix-diversity , and who had an awareness of places to walk to and the accessibility to facilities for daily necessities in their neighborhood . For male subjects  , daily PA  was high among those who perceived the aesthetics of and accessibility to facilities for pleasure in their neighborhood . Further research is needed to determine the association between PA and NE on the basis of sex differences Background Identifying ways to promote physical activity and decrease sedentary time during childhood is a key public health issue . Research on the putative influences on preschool children ’s  physical activity ( PA ) and  sedentary behavior  ( SB ) is limited and has yielded inconsistent results . Our aim was to identify correlates of PA and SB in preschool children . Methods Cross-sectional data were drawn from the Swiss Preschoolers ’ Health Study ( SPLASHY ) , a Swiss population -based cohort study . Of 476 two to six year old children , 394 ( 54 % boys ) had valid PA data assessed by accelerometry .  Information on exposure data was directly measured or extracted from parental question naires . Multilevel linear regression modeling was used to separately assess associations between 35 potential correlates and  total PA ( TPA ) , moderate-to-vigorous PA ( MVPA ) and SB . Results In total , 12 correlates from different domains were identified . TPA and MVPA were greater in boys than girls , increased with age and were positively associated with gross motor skills . Children from single parent families had a higher level of TPA and spent less time sedentary than those living with two parents . Time spent outdoors was positively associated with TPA and negatively with SB . The child ’s activity temperament was related all three outcomes , whereas parental sports club membership , living area per person and neighborhood safety were associated with SB only . Fixed and r and om factors in the final models accounted for 28 % , 32 % and 22 % of the total variance in TPA , MVPA and SB , respectively . Variance decomposition revealed that age , sex and activity temperament were the most influential correlates of both , TPA and MVPA , whereas the child ’s activity temperament , time outdoors and neighborhood safety were identified as the most important correlates of SB . Conclusions A multidimensional set of correlates of young children ’s  activity behavior has been identified . Personal factors had the greatest influence on PA , whereas environmental-level factors had the greatest influence on SB . Moreover , we identified a number of previously unreported , potentially modifiable correlates of young children ’s PA and SB . These factors could serve to define target groups or become valuable targets for change in future interventions .Trial registration Current Controlled Trials IS RCT N41045021 ( date of registration : 21.03.14 ) Background Few studies have investigated both the self-perceived and measured environment with objective ly determined physical activity in older adults . Accordingly , the aim of this study was to examine measured and perceived environmental associations with physical activity of older adults residing across different neighborhood types . Methods One-hundred and forty-eight older individuals , mean age 64.3 ± 8.4 , were r and omly recruited from one of four neighborhoods that were pre-determined as either having high- or low walkable characteristics . Individual residences were geocoded and 200 m network buffers established . Both objective environment audit , and self-perceived environmental measures  were collected , in conjunction with accelerometer derived physical activity behavior . Using both perceived and objective environment data , analysis consisted of a macro-level comparison of physical activity levels across neighborhood , and a micro-level analysis of individual environmental predictors of physical activity levels . Results Individuals residing in high-walkable neighborhoods on average engaged in 11 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day more than individuals residing in low-walkable neighborhoods . Both measured access to non-residential destinations ( b = .11 , p < .001 ) and self-perceived access to non-residential uses ( b = 2.89 , p = .031 ) were significant predictors of time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity . Other environmental variables significantly predicting components of physical activity behavior included presence of measured neighborhood crime signage ( b = .4785 , p = .031 ) , measured street safety ( b = 26.8 , p = .006 ) , and perceived neighborhood satisfaction ( b = .5.8 , p = .003 ) . Conclusions Older adult residents who live in high-walkable neighborhoods , who have easy and close access to nonresidential destinations , have lower social dysfunction pertinent to crime , and generally perceive the neighborhood to a higher overall satisfaction are likely to engage in higher levels of physical activity behavior . Efforts aim ed at promoting more walkable neighborhoods could influence activity levels in older adults BACKGROUND Regular physical activity is known to help prevent chronic disease and promote healthy aging . Yet , most older women are not regularly active . This study attempts to identify objective ly measured attributes of the neighborhood environment that may be associated with physical activity levels in older women . METHODS Sociodemographics and  physical activity level , as measured by pedometer , were assessed in 158 overweight Caucasian and African-American postmenopausal women from southwestern Pennsylvania at the baseline evaluation of a r and omized clinical trial in 2002 - 2003 .  Geographic information systems technology was used to obtain neighborhood-level data , including  neighborhood socioeconomic status  ( SES ) indicators , the median year that homes were built ( as a proxy measure for urban form ) , and proximity to businesses and facilities . Multiple linear regression was used to test associations between individuals ' physical activity level and neighborhood characteristics . RESULTS After controlling for individual age , race/ethnicity , education , smoking status , and body mass index , indicators of low neighborhood SES , living in a neighborhood with homes built between 1950 and 1969 ( representing an urban form that is more pedestrian-friendly than after 1969 ) , and living within walking distance ( 1500 m ) of specific types of businesses and facilities were positively associated with individuals ' physical activity level measured by pedometer ( p < 0.05 ) . CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that certain aspects of the neighborhood environment may have an important influence on the physical activity levels of postmenopausal women . Results warrant future research to clarify the role of these environmental attributes in other population Purpose . To determine the association of neighborhood design factors and recreational environments with physical activity . Methods . R and omly selected adults ( n = 102 , 52 % female , 81 % white , mean age = 48 years ) completed a survey of eight neighborhood design variables , convenient recreational facilities , and availability of home equipment .  Physical activity was measured by self-report and 7 days of accelerometer monitoring . Results . Residential density and an overall environment index were significantly related to both vigorous-intensity self-reported ( r = .35 and .28 , respectively ) and objective ly measured physical activity ( r = .39 and .23 , respectively ) . Home equipment was correlated with self-reported total ( r = .34 ) and vigorous leisure-time physical activity ( r = .27 ) . The vigorous and total activity accelerometer measures were correlated with street connectivity ( r = .25 and .21 , respectively ) . Discussion . Few self-reported neighborhood design factors and recreational environment variables were correlated with physical activity , and some findings were unexpected Regular physical activity ( PA ) and the avoidance of prolonged sitting are essential for children ’s healthy growth , and for the physical and mental wellbeing of both children and adults . In the context of exercise , music may promote behavioral change through increased exercise adherence and participation . The purpose of this study was to determine whether a movement-to-music video program could reduce sedentary behavior ( SB ) and increase PA in mother-child pairs in the home environment . A r and omized controlled trial was conducted in the Pirkanmaa region , Finl and , in 2014–2016 . The participants consisted of 228 mother-child pairs ( child age 5–7 years ) . The primary outcomes of interest were tri-axial accelerometer-derived SB and PA , which were measured in weeks one ( baseline ) , two , and eight in both the intervention and control groups . Further , the mothers and children in the intervention group used a movement-to-music video program from the beginning of week two to the end of week eight . Secondary outcomes included self-reported screen time . The statistical methods employed comprised an intention-to-treat and linear mixed effects model design . No statistically significant differences between groups were found in primary or secondary outcomes . Among the children in the control group  , light PA  decreased significantly over time and screen time increased from 89 ( st and ard deviation , SD 37 ) to 99 ( SD 41 ) min/d . Among mothers and children in the intervention group , no statistical differences were found . In supplementary analysis , the children who stayed at home instead of attending daycare/preschool had on average 25 ( 95 % confidence interval , CI 19–30 ) min/d more sedentary time and 11 ( 95 % CI 8–14 ) min/d less moderate-to-vigorous PA than those who were at daycare/preschool . The higher body mass index of mothers was related with 5 ( 95 % CI 2–7 ) min/d more sedentary time and 1 ( 95 % CI 0–2 ) min/d less moderate-to-vigorous PA . The movement-to-music video program did not change the objective ly measured SB or PA of the mother-child pairs . However , mothers and children seemed to be more sedentary at home , and therefore interventions for decreasing SB and increasing PA should be targeted in the home environment Purpose . To integrate the characteristics of the perceived environment with the theory of planned behavior ( TPB ) to determine ( 1 ) whether the TPB mediates relations among environmental characteristics and walking , and ( 2 ) whether the environment moderates TPB-walking relations . Design . Cross-sectional . Setting . South Vancouver Isl and , British Columbia , Canada . Subjects . R and om sample of 351 adults ( 36 % response rate ) . Measures . Participants completed measures of the  perceived neighborhood environment , the TPB , and walking behavior  that was assessed using an adapted Godin leisure time question naire . Results . Results using structural equation modeling indicated that the TPB mediated the environment-walking relationship . Specifically , retail l and -mix use and neighborhood aesthetics were associated with walking through affective and instrumental attitudes . Results using moderated regression analyses showed that recreation l and -mix use moderated the intention-behavior relationship , with those individuals who perceived closer access to recreation facilities having a larger intention-behavior relationship . A significant moderating effect for crime on the instrumental attitude-intention relationship was also identified , but the effect size was small to trivial . Conclusions . These results suggest that the perceived neighborhood may influence walking through attitudes and may also influence the intention-behavior gap . Prospect i ve studies using objective walking and environment data are required to improve the veracity of the findings and to identify possible causal relationships The authors used stratified r and om sampling procedures to investigate the relationships among physical activity ( PA ) , the proximity of exercise facilities , and the quantity of home exercise equipment in a sample of 411 undergraduates . To examine the data they collected from the modified Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Question naire and the Home Environment Question naire , the authors used correlational analyses and analysis of variance . Intensity and duration of PA  showed a significant relationship to the proximity of exercise facilities . Intensity , frequency , and duration of PA  were significantly related to the quantity of students ' home exercise equipment . Freshmen and sophomores engaged in PA closer to their residences and participated in 3 more exercise bouts per week than juniors and seniors . These findings suggest that proximity of the activity episode may have an effect on  PA behavior of college students BACKGROUND Access to local parks can affect walking levels . Neighborhood environment and park use may influence relationships between neighborhood socioeconomic status ( SES ) and walking . METHODS Self-report data on perceived park features , neighborhood environment , park use , neighborhood walking and sociodemographics were obtained from a sample of Australian adults , living in high/low SES areas .  Surveys were mailed to 250 r and omly selected households within 500 m of 12 matched parks . Mediating effects of perceived environment attributes and park use on relationships between area-SES and walking were examined . RESULTS Mean frequency of local park use was higher for high-SES residents ( 4.36 vs 3.16 times/wk , P < .01 ) , who also reported higher levels of park safety , maintenance , attractiveness , opportunities for socialization , and neighborhood crime safety , aesthetics , and traffic safety . Safety and opportunity for socialization were independently positively related to monthly frequency of visits to a local park which , in turn , was positively associated with walking for recreation and total walking .  Residents of higher SES areas reported an average 22 % ( 95 % CI : 5 % , 37 % ) more weekly minutes of recreational walking than their low SES counterparts . CONCLUSION Residents of high-SES areas live in environments that promote park use , which positively contributes to their weekly amounts of overall and recreational walking Background The worldwide increase in the rates of childhood overweight and physical inactivity requires successful prevention and intervention programs for children . The aim of the Active Living project is to increase physical activity and decrease sedentary behavior of Dutch primary school children by developing and implementing tailored , multicomponent interventions at and around schools . Methods / design In this project , school-centered interventions have been developed at 10 schools in the south of the Netherl and s , using a combined top-down and bottom-up approach in which a research unit and a practice unit continuously interact . The interventions consist of a combination of physical and social interventions tailored to local needs of intervention schools . The process and short- and long-term effectiveness of the interventions will be evaluated using a quasi-experimental study design in which 10 intervention schools are matched with 10 control schools . Baseline and follow-up measurements ( after 12 and 24 months ) have been conducted in grade s 6 and 7 and included accelerometry , GPS , and question naires . Primary outcome of the Active Living study is the change in physical activity levels , i.e. sedentary behavior ( SB ) , light physical activity ( LPA ) , moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ( MVPA ) , and counts-per-minute ( CPM ) . Multilevel regression analyses will be used to assess the effectiveness of isolated and combined physical and social interventions on children ’s PA levels . Discussion The current intervention study is unique in its combined approach of physical and social environmental PA interventions both at school(yard)s as well as in the local neighborhood around the schools . The strength of the study lies in the quasi-experimental design including objective measurement techniques , i.e. accelerometry and GPS , combined with more subjective techniques , i.e. question naires , implementation logbooks , and neighborhood observations . Trial registration Current Controlled Trials IS RCT N25497687 ( registration date 21/10/2015 ) , METC 12 - 4 - 077 , Project number Although many studies have reported on  physical activity ( PA ) levels using accelerometers , a thorough description of the PA pattern in preschool children during their stay in the preschool , is lacking in the current literature . Furthermore , there remains a lack of underst and ing of the PA level and pattern in children in the lower end of the PA continuum . The first aim of this study was therefore to describe the PA pattern during a week-long stay in a preschool in all children born in 2011 ( either three or four-year-olds ) attending public preschools in a municipality in Norway . The second aim was to describe the PA level and pattern of the children who are the least physically active . This cross-sectional study included baseline data from 95 % of children ( N = 111 ) participating in a r and omized controlled physical activity intervention ( Active Kindergarten – Active Children study ) . The participants wore an Actigraph accelerometer , in week 39 in 2015 , from when they arrived at the preschool on Monday morning and throughout their stay of five consecutive days . The amount of moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA ( MVPA ) per day ranged from 16 min to 116 min , and sedentary time ranged from 2.7 h to 6.5 h per day in the least and most sedentary child , respectively . The least physically active 25 % of children were less active throughout the entire day , and only a few of them managed to achieve the recommended level of MVPA on any weekday . The physical activity levels and patterns among the least active children described in this study may help to inform interventions targeting this group Locational data , logged on portable GPS units and matched with accelerometer data , was used to examine associations of the built environment with physical activity and  sedentary behaviors of adolescent females . In a sample of 293 adolescent females aged 15 to 18 years old in Minneapolis and San Diego , the built environment around each GPS point and its corresponding sedentary , light , and moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity was examined using r and om intercept multinomial logistic regression models . The odds of higher physical activity intensity ( 3-level outcome : sedentary , light , MVPA ) were higher in places with parks , schools , and high population density , during weekdays , and lower in places with more roads and food outlets . Underst and ing the places where physical activity and sedentary behaviors occur appears to be a promising strategy to clarify relationships and inform policy aim ed at increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviors Background Despite its health benefits , physical inactivity is pervasive , particularly among those living in lower-income urban communities . In such setting s , neighborhood safety may impact willingness to be regularly physically active . We examined the association of perceived neighborhood safety with pedometer-determined physical activity and physical activity self-efficacy . Methods and Findings Participants were 1,180 predominantly racial/ethnic minority adults recruited from 12 urban low-income housing complexes in metropolitan Boston . Participants completed a 5-d pedometer data - collection protocol and self-reported their perceptions of neighborhood safety and self-efficacy ( i.e. , confidence in the ability to be physically active ) . Gender-stratified bivariate and multivariable r and om effects models were estimated to account for within-site clustering . Most participants reported feeling safe during the day , while just over one-third ( 36 % ) felt safe at night . We found no association between daytime safety reports and physical activity among both men and women . There was also no association between night-time safety reports and physical activity among men ( p = 0.23 ) but women who reported feeling unsafe ( versus safe ) at night showed significantly fewer steps per day ( 4,302 versus 5,178 , p = 0.01 ) . Perceiving one 's neighborhood as unsafe during the day was associated with significantly lower odds of having high physical activity self-efficacy among both men ( OR 0.40 , p = 0.01 ) and women ( OR 0.68 , p = 0.02 ) . Conclusions Residing in a neighborhood that is perceived to be unsafe at night is a barrier to regular physical activity among individuals , especially women , living in urban low-income housing . Feeling unsafe may also diminish confidence in the ability to be more physically active . Both of these factors may limit the effectiveness of physical activity promotion strategies delivered in similar setting PURPOSE This study examined the association of objective and perceived neighborhood environmental characteristics and parent concerns with  active commuting to school  , investigated whether parental concerns varied by environmental characteristics , and compared the association of the perceived environment , parental concerns , and objective environment on the outcome active commuting to school . METHODS R and omly selected parents of children ( aged 5 - 18 yr ) , in neighborhoods chosen for their variability in objective ly measured walkability and income , completed question naires about their neighborhood environment , concerns about children walking to school , and children 's behavior ( N = 259 ) . Objective measures of the environment were available for each participant and each neighborhood . Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the relationships among environment , parental concerns , and walking or biking to or from school  at least once a week . RESULTS A parental concerns scale was most strongly associated with child active commuting ( odds ratio : 5.2 , 95 % CI : 2.71 - 9.96 ) . In high-income neighborhoods , more children actively commuted in high-walkable ( 34 % ) than in low-walkable neighborhoods ( 23 % ) ( odds ratio : 2.1 , 95 % CI : 1.12 - 3.97 ) , but no differences were noted in low-income neighborhoods . Parent concerns and neighborhood aesthetics were independently associated with active commuting . Perceived access to local stores and biking or walking facilities accounted for some of the effect of walkability on active commuting . CONCLUSION Both parent concerns and the built environment were associated with children 's  active commuting to school . To increase active commuting to school , interventions that include both environmental change and education campaigns may be needed Background Physical inactivity  among children is an increasing problem that adversely affects children ’s health . A better underst and ing of factors which affect  physical activity ( PA ) will help create effective interventions aim ed at raising the activity levels of children . This cross-sectional study examined the associations of PA with individual ( biological , social , behavioral , psychological ) and environmental ( East vs. West Germany , rural vs. urban regions ) characteristics in children . Methods Information on PA and potential correlates was collected from 1843 girls and 1997 boys using question naires during the 10-year follow-up of two prospect i ve birth cohort studies ( GINIplus and LISAplus ) . Study regions represent urban and rural sites as well as East and West of Germany . Logistic regression modeling was applied to examine cross-sectional associations between individual as well as environmental factors and  PA levels . Results Five of fourteen variables were significantly associated with  PA .  Among children aged 10 , girls tended to be less active than boys , especially with respect to vigorous PA ( OR = 0.72 for summer ) . Children who were not a member of a sports club showed a substantially reduced amount of PA in winter ( OR = 0.15 ) . Rural environments promote moderate PA  , particularly in winter ( OR = 1.88 ) , whereas an increased time outdoors primarily promotes moderate PA in summer ( OR = 12.41 ) . Children with abnormal emotional symptoms  exhibited reduced physical activity , particularly in winter ( OR = 0.60 ) . BMI , puberty , parental BMI , parental education , household income , siblings , TV/PC consumption , and method of arriving school , were not associated with PA . Conclusions When considering correlates of PA from several domains simultaneously , only few factors ( sex , sports club membership , physical environment , time outdoors , and emotional symptoms ) appear to be relevant . Although the causality needs to be ascertained in longitudinal studies , variables which can not be modified should be used to identify risk groups while modifiable variables , such as sports club activities , may be addressed in intervention programs OBJECTIVES To evaluate the relationship between changes in  physical activity ( PA ) , sedentary behavior , and physical self-perceptions and global self-worth in 30 , 8 - 12 years old , overweight/obese children ( 13 boys , 17 girls ) . METHODS Secondary analyses from a r and omized controlled trial design ed to increase PA and reduce sedentary behavior . PA was measured by accelerometers worn by participants every day for 8 weeks .  Sedentary behavior , defined as minutes per day spent in television viewing , was assessed by self-report . RESULTS Increases in PA were associated with increases in perceived physical conditioning ( r = .54 , p < .01 ) , body satisfaction ( r = .55 , p < .01 ) , and overall physical self-worth ( r = .44 , p < .05 ) independent of changes in body mass index ( BMI ) . Reductions in TV viewing were also related to increased physical and global self-worth . CONCLUSIONS Increases in PA are associated with improvements in physical self-perceptions but not global self-worth , while reductions in TV viewing are associated with increased physical and global self-worth , and these psychosocial benefits appear to be independent of changes in adiposity BACKGROUND Low levels of physical activity ( PA ) and highly sedentary leisure habits ( SLH ) in youth may establish behavioral patterns that will predispose youth to increased chronic disease risk in adulthood . The purpose of this paper was to examine associations of demographic and psychosocial factors with self-reported PA and SLH in young adolescents . METHODS A general linear mixed model predicted self-reported PA and SLH in the spring from demographic and psychosocial variables measured the previous fall in 3798 seventh grade students . RESULTS  PA and SLH differed by race , with Caucasian students reporting among the highest PA and lowest SLH . Perceptions of higher academic rank or expectations predicted higher  PA  and lower SLH . Depressive symptomatology predicted higher SLH scores but not PA .  Higher self-reported value of health , appearance , and achievement predicted higher PA  and lower SLH in girls . Girls who reported that their mothers had an authoritative parenting style also reported higher PA  and lower SLH . CONCLUSIONS Determinants of  PA  and SLH appear to differ from each other , particularly in boys . Development of effective programs to increase  PA  and /or decrease SLH in young adolescents should be based on a clear underst and ing of the determinants of these behaviors
Interventions that reduced sedentary time by using TV limiting devices were shown to be effective for children but the results were limited for adults .
Overall , large exercise equipment ( ie .
treadmills ) , and prominent exergaming material s ( exergaming bike , dance mats ) were found to be more effective than smaller devices .
Observational studies revealed that location and quantity of televisions correlated with SD behavior with the latter having a greater effect on girls .
This was similarly found for the quantity of PA equipment which also correlated with behavior in females .
Review s of neighborhood ( macro ) environment characteristics such as the presence of sidewalks and esthetics have shown significant correlations with  resident physical activity ( PA ) and sedentary ( SD ) behavior .
Currently , no comprehensive review has appraised and collected available evidence on the home ( micro ) physical environment .
The purpose of this review was to examine how the home physical environment relates to adult and child PA and SD behaviors .