The Library

Objective measures of the environment and physical activity : results of the environment and physical activity study in English adults

Tools

Foster, Charles, Hillsdon, Melvyn, Jones, Andy, Grundy, Chris, Wilkinson, Paul, Wareham, Nick, White, Martin, Sheehan, Bart and Thorogood, Margaret. (2009) Objective measures of the environment and physical activity : results of the environment and physical activity study in English adults. Journal of Physical Activity & Health, Vol.6 (Suppl.1). S70-S80. ISSN 1543-3080

PDF
WRAP_Thorogood_JPAH_submission_30_07_08.pdf
Restricted to Repository staff only - Requires a PDF viewer such as GSview, Xpdf or Adobe Acrobat Reader
Download (208Kb)

Abstract

Background: Physical activity has been positively associated with a range of objectively measured environmental variables. We explored the relationship of walking and other categories of physical activity with objectively measured activity specific environmental variables in a UK population. Methods: We used a geographical information system (GIS) and gender specific multivariate models to relate 13,927 participants’ reported levels of physical activity with a range of measures of the environment. Results: Access to green space and area levels of crime were not associated with walking for recreation. Distance to facilities had either no or only a small effect on the uptake of different activities. Odds ratios of cycling for leisure dropped as local traffic density increased for both genders. Compared to the lowest quartile for traffic density the likelihood of reporting any cycling for leisure was OR 0.42, (95% CI 0.32-0.52, p<0.001) for women and OR 0.41, (95% CI 0.33 – 0.50, p < 0.001) for men in the highest quartile. Conclusions: We were unable to reproduce results observed in previous studies. Future research should use large representative population samples from multiple areas to maximise environmental variability and if feasible use both objective and subjective measures of physical activity and the environment.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
Divisions:	Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Mental Health and Wellbeing Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Exercise
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Physical Activity & Health
Publisher:	Human Kinetics
ISSN:	1543-3080
Date:	2009
Volume:	Vol.6
Number:	Suppl.1
Page Range:	S70-S80
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
Funder:	British Heart Foundation
Grant number:	BHF/PG/03/045
References:	1. Department of Health. Choosing Activity: a physical activity action plan. London: Department of Health; 2005. 2. Government Office for Science. FORESIGHT. Tackling obesities: Future choices. London: Department of Innovation Universities and Skills; 2007. 3. Foster C, Hillsdon M, Thorogood M. Intervention for physical activity. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008;1: CD003180. 4. Ogilvie D, Foster C, Rothnie H, Cavill N, Hamilton V, Fitzsimons C, Mutrie N, Scottish Physical Activity Research Collaboration. Interventions to promote walking: systematic review. BMJ. 2007;334:1204. 5. Heath G, Brownson R, Kruger J, Miles K, Powell KE, Ramsey LT, and the Task Force on Community Preventive Services. The effectiveness of urban design and land use and transport policies and practices to increase physical activity: a systematic review. JPAH 2006;3:S55-76. 6. Wendel-Vos W, Droomers M, Kremmers S, Brug J, van Lenthe F. Potential environmental determinants of physical activity in adults: a systematic review. Obes Rev. 2007;8: 425-40. 7. Owen N, Humpel N, Leslie E, Bauman A, Sallis JF. Understanding environmental influences on walking: review and research agenda. Am J Prev Med. 2004;27:67-76. 8. Jones A, Bentham G, Foster C, Hillsdon M, Panter J. Obesogenic environments. Evidence Review. Foresight Tackling Obesities; Future Choices. London: Department of Innovation Universities and Skills; 2007. 9. Giles-Corti B, Timperio A, Bull F, Pikora T. Understanding physical activity environmental correlates: increased specificity for ecological models. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2005;33:175-81. 10. Day N, Oakes S, Luben R, Khaw K-T, Bingham S, Welch A, Wareham N. EPIC in Norfolk: study design and characteristics of the cohort. Br J Cancer. 1999;80:95-103. 11. Wareham N, Jakes R, Rennie K, Mitchell J, Hennings S, Day N. Validity and repeatability of the EPIC-Norfolk physical activity questionnaire. Int J Epidemiol. 2002;31:168-74. 12. Jakes R, Day N, Khaw K-T, Luben R, Oakes S, Welch A, Bingham S, Wareham NJ. Television viewing and low participation in vigorous recreation are independently associated with obesity and markers of cardiovascular disease risk: EPIC-Norfolk population-based study. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003;57:1089-96. 13. Taylor H, Jacobs Jr D, Nichaman M. A questionnaire for the assessment of leisure-time physical activities. J Chronic Dis. 1978;31:741-55. 14. Sports Council, Health Education Authority. Allied Dunbar national fitness survey. London: Health Education Authority; 1992. 15. Sports Council. The Official Directory of Sport 1997. Southampton: The English Sports Council; 1997. 16. Department for Transport, Scottish Executive, Welsh Assembly. Transport statistics, 2005. London: National Statistics; 2005. 17. Institution of Highways and Transportation. Roads and Traffic in Urban Areas. London: Institution of Highways and Transportation; 1987. 18. Department of Transport. Walking and cycling: an action plan. London: Department of Transport; 2002. 19. Department of Transport. A bulletin of public transport statistics: Great Britain: 2003 edition. London: Department of Transport; 2003. 20. Norfolk Community Safety Partnerships. Crime & Disorder Audit 2000. Norfolk: Norfolk Community Safety Partnerships; 2001. 21. Corti B, Donovan R, Holman C. Factors influencing the use of physical activity facilities: results from a qualitative research. Health Promot J Austr. 1997;7:16-21. 22. Giles-Corti B, Donovan R. The relative influence of individual, social and physical environment determinants of physical activity. Soc Sci Med. 2002;54:1793-1812. 23. Hillsdon M, Panter J, Foster C, Jones A. The relationship between access and quality of urban green space with population physical activity. Public Health. 2006;120:1127-32. 24. Department of Health. At least five a week: a report from the Chief Medical Officer. London: Department of Health; 2004. 25. Department of Health. Health Survey for England 2004. London: The Stationary Office; 2005. 26. Altman D. Practical statistics for medical research. London: Chapman & Hall/CRC; 1999. 27. Hills M, De Stavola B. A short introduction to STATA 8 for biostatistics. London: Timberlake Consultants Ltd; 2003. 28. StataCorp LP. Stata/SE 9.2 for Windows. College Station, TX: StataCorp; 2005. 29. Troped P, Saunders R, Pate R, Reininger B, Ureda JR, Thompson SJ. Associations between self-reported and objective physical environmental factors and use of a community rail-trail. Prev Med. 2001;32:191-200. 30. Wendel-Vos G, Schuit A, De Neit R, Boshuizen H, Saris W, Kramhout D. Factors of the physical environment associated with walking and bicycling. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004;36:725-30. 31. McGinn A, Evenson K, Herring A, Huston SL, Rodriguez DA. Exploring associations between physical activity and perceived and objective measures of the built environment. J Urban Health. 2007;84:162-84. 32. Bauman A, Sallis J, Dzewaltowski D, owen N. Toward a better understanding of the influences on physical activity: the role of determinants, correlates, causal variables, mediators, moderators, and confounders. Am J Prev Med. 2002;23:5-14. 33. Sargeant L, Khaw K, Bingham S, Day NE, Luben RN, Oakes S, Welch A, Wareham NJ. Cigarette smoking and glycaemia: the EPIC-Norfolk Study. Int J Epidemiol. 2001;30:547-54. 34. Department of Health. Health Survey for England 2006. London: The Stationary Office; 2008. 35. Fox K, Rickards L. Sport and leisure: Results from the sport and leisure module of the 2002 General Household Survey. London: TSO; 2004. 36. Foster C, Hillsdon M, Thorogood M. Environmental perceptions and walking in English adults. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2004;58:924-8. 37. Hoehner C, Brennan Ramirez L, Elliott M, Handy SL, Brownson RC. Perceived and objective environmental measures and physical activity among urban adults. Am J Prev Med. 2005;28:105-16. 38. Frank L, Schmid L, Sallis J, Chapman J, Saelens BE. Linking objectively measured physical activity with objectively measured urban form: findings from SMARTRAQ. Am J Prev Med. 2005;28:117-25. 39. Leslie E, Coffee N, Frank L, Owen N, Bauman A, Hugo G. Walkability of local communities: using geographic information systems to objectively assess relevant environmental attributes. Health Place. 2007;13:111-22. 40. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Physical activity and Environment: Draft Guidance. London: NICE; 2008. 23
URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/244