Research Database

350 results for "Activity and Environment"

Daylight saving time as a potential public health intervention: an observational study of evening daylight and objectively-measured physical activity among 23,000 children from 9 countries

  • Published on Oct. 24, 2014

Background: It has been proposed that introducing daylight saving measures could increase children’s physical activity, but there exists little research on this issue. This study therefore examined associations between time of sunset and activity levels, including using the bi-annual ‘changing of the clocks’ as a natural experiment. Methods: 23,188 children ...


Combining GPS, GIS, and accelerometry to explore the physical activity and environment relationship in children and young people – a review

  • Published on Sept. 13, 2014

Abstract: The environment has long been associated with physical activity engagement, and recent developments in technology have resulted in the ability to objectively quantify activity behaviours and activity context. This paper reviews studies that have combined Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and accelerometry to investigate the PA-environment ...


The association between objective walkability, neighborhood socio-economic status, and physical activity in Belgian children

  • Published on Aug. 23, 2014

Background: Objective walkability is an important correlate of adults’ physical activity. Studies investigating the relation between walkability and children’s physical activity are scarce. However, in order to develop effective environmental interventions, a profound investigation of this relation is needed in all age groups. The aim of this study was ...


Longitudinal effects of parental, child and neighborhood factors on moderate-vigorous physical activity and sedentary time in Latino children

  • Published on Sept. 4, 2014

Background: Moderate-vigorous physical activity (%MVPA) confers beneficial effects on child musculoskeletal health, cardiovascular fitness, and psychosocial well-being; in contrast, sedentary time (%SED) is emerging as a risk factor for health. This study aimed to identify parental, child and neighborhood factors influencing longitudinal assessments of body mass index (BMI) and activity ...


Camden active spaces: Does the construction of active school playgrounds influence children's physical activity levels? A longitudinal quasi-experiment protocol

  • Published on Aug. 13, 2014

Introduction: Physical activity is essential for every facet of children's health. However, physical activity levels in British children are low. The school environment is a promising setting to increase children's physical activity but limited empirical evidence exists on how a change in the outdoor physical school environment influences physical activity ...


Relationship between neighborhood walkability and older adults’ physical activity: results from the Belgian Environmental Physical Activity Study in Seniors (BEPAS Seniors)

  • Published on Aug. 23, 2014

Background: Adequate knowledge on environmental correlates of physical activity (PA) in older adults is needed to develop effective health promotion initiatives. However, research in this age group is scarce and most existing studies were conducted in North America. The present study aimed to examine relationships between GIS-based neighborhood walkability and ...


International study of objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time with body mass index and obesity: IPEN adult study

  • Published on July 22, 2014

Background: Physical activity (PA) has been consistently implicated in the etiology of obesity, whereas recent evidence on the importance of sedentary time remains inconsistent. Understanding of dose–response associations of PA and sedentary time with overweight and obesity in adults can be improved with large-scale studies using objective measures of ...


A repeated measurement study investigating the impact of school outdoor environment upon physical activity across ages and seasons in Swedish second, fifth and eighth graders

  • Published on Aug. 7, 2014

Background: School children are confined to and exposed to outdoor environment that happens to be at their disposal during compulsory school time. The health-promoting potential of outdoor environment, and the use of it, is therefore important. We have studied the impact of school outdoor environment in terms of playground features, ...


Where do they go and how do they get there? Older adults' travel behaviour in a highly walkable environment

  • Published on July 5, 2014

Abstract: Mobility—the ability to move about in one's neighbourhood and maintain independence—is essential for older adults' wellbeing. Neighbourhood environments support or hinder mobility especially as health declines and physical vulnerability increases with age. Linkages between mobility and planning and policy are key to designing age-friendly neighbourhoods with destinations ...


Perceived neighbourhood environmental attributes associated with adults׳ recreational walking: IPEN Adult study in 12 countries

  • Published on July 2014

Abstract: This study examined the strength and shape of associations between perceived environmental attributes and adults’ recreational walking, using data collected from 13,745 adult participants in 12 countries. Perceived residential density, land use mix, street connectivity, aesthetics, safety from crime, and proximity to parks were linearly associated with recreational walking, while curvilinear ...