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Perceived neighborhood environmental attributes associated with adults' leisure-time physical activity: Findings from Belgium, Australia and the USA
Van Dyck, Delfien Cerin, Ester Conway, Terry L. De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse Owen, Neville Kerr, Jacqueline Cardon, Greet Frank, Lawrence D. Saelens, Brian E. Sallis, James F.
Van Dyck, Delfien
Cerin, Ester
Conway, Terry L.
De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse
Owen, Neville
Kerr, Jacqueline
Cardon, Greet
Frank, Lawrence D.
Saelens, Brian E.
Sallis, James F.
Abstract
The study purpose was to examine the strength, direction and shape of the associations of environmental perceptions with recreational walking and leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, using pooled data from four study sites (Baltimore [USA], Seattle [USA], Adelaide [Australia] and Ghent [Belgium]). Moreover, site- and gender-specificity of the associations were examined. In total, 6014 adults (20–65 years, 55.7% women) completed the Neighborhood Environmental Walkability Scale and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Both a ‘recreational walking-friendliness’ index and a ‘leisure-time activity friendliness’ index had a positive linear association with recreational walking and leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, respectively. The associations were significant in all study sites except Ghent. Present findings were clearly site-specific, imposing possible challenges for built environment recommendations. In Belgium, interventions to promote leisure-time activity may need to target promotion of existing opportunities rather than built environment improvements.
Keywords
leisure-time, exercise, built environment, policy
Date
2013
Type
Journal article
Journal
Health and Place
Book
Volume
19
Issue
1
Page Range
59-68
Article Number
ACU Department
Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
File Access
Controlled