TY - JOUR
T1 - Determinants of activity-friendly neighborhoods for children
T2 - results from the SPACE study
AU - de Vries, Sanne I
AU - Bakker, Ingrid
AU - van Mechelen, Willem
AU - Hopman-Rock, Marijke
PY - 2007/5/1
Y1 - 2007/5/1
N2 - PURPOSE: To examine the association between children's physical activity and factors of the built environment.DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. Setting. Ten neighborhoods in six cities in the Netherlands.SUBJECTS: Four hundred twenty-two children (age range, 6-11 years; 49% male).MEASURES: Physical activity diary, neighborhood observations, and anthropometric measures.ANALYSIS: Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses.RESULTS: According to univariate analyses adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, and highest level of maternal education, physical activity (> or = 3 metabolic equivalents) was significantly (p < .05) associated with the proportion of green space, with the residential density, with the general impression of activity-friendliness of the neighborhood, and with the frequency of certain types of residences (e.g., terraced houses), sports fields, water, dog waste, heavy traffic, and safe walking and cycling conditions (e.g., cycle tracks and 30-km speed zones) in the neighborhood. According to adjusted multivariate analyses, physical activity was best predicted by the frequency of parallel parking spaces in the neighborhood and by the general impression of activity-friendliness of the neighborhood (I2 = 0. 193).CONCLUSIONS: Children's physical activity is associated with certain modifiable factors of the built environment. Longitudinal studies should examine whether there is a causal relationship.
AB - PURPOSE: To examine the association between children's physical activity and factors of the built environment.DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. Setting. Ten neighborhoods in six cities in the Netherlands.SUBJECTS: Four hundred twenty-two children (age range, 6-11 years; 49% male).MEASURES: Physical activity diary, neighborhood observations, and anthropometric measures.ANALYSIS: Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses.RESULTS: According to univariate analyses adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, and highest level of maternal education, physical activity (> or = 3 metabolic equivalents) was significantly (p < .05) associated with the proportion of green space, with the residential density, with the general impression of activity-friendliness of the neighborhood, and with the frequency of certain types of residences (e.g., terraced houses), sports fields, water, dog waste, heavy traffic, and safe walking and cycling conditions (e.g., cycle tracks and 30-km speed zones) in the neighborhood. According to adjusted multivariate analyses, physical activity was best predicted by the frequency of parallel parking spaces in the neighborhood and by the general impression of activity-friendliness of the neighborhood (I2 = 0. 193).CONCLUSIONS: Children's physical activity is associated with certain modifiable factors of the built environment. Longitudinal studies should examine whether there is a causal relationship.
KW - Activities of Daily Living/psychology
KW - Anthropometry
KW - Body Mass Index
KW - Child
KW - Child Behavior
KW - Cross-Sectional Studies
KW - Environment Design
KW - Female
KW - Geography
KW - Health Promotion
KW - Humans
KW - Life Style
KW - Male
KW - Medical Records
KW - Motor Activity
KW - Netherlands
KW - Residence Characteristics/classification
U2 - 10.4278/0890-1171-21.4s.312
DO - 10.4278/0890-1171-21.4s.312
M3 - Article
C2 - 17465176
VL - 21
SP - 312
EP - 316
JO - American Journal of Health Promotion
JF - American Journal of Health Promotion
SN - 0890-1171
IS - 4 Suppl
ER -