Research Database

Neighborhood and home environments and GPS-derived location-specific physical activity in adolescents

  • Presented on May 21, 2014

Purpose: To compare relations of neighborhood walkability and home equipment to (1) total and (2) location-specific physical activity. Methods: 290 adolescents (M age=14.1±1.4 years; 45% girls; 74.7% White non-Hispanic) wore GPS and accelerometers for 5.4±1.9 days set to record at 30-second epochs. GIS was used to calculate a walkability index (sum of z-scores for density, mixed-use, ...




Mapping schoolyard behavior using GIS, GPS and accelerometers

  • Presented on May 21, 2014

Purpose: To investigate how schoolchildren use different schoolyard areas and whether these areas are associated with different types of behavior. Schoolyard characteristics seem to be related to behavior during recess, but exactly which behavior takes place where is unclear. Methods: Time spent by 316 students (grade 5-8) in 5 types of schoolyard ...


Spatial Clustering of Objectively Measured Physical Activity in Massachusetts Adults: Preliminary Findings

  • Presented on May 28, 2014

Background: Accelerometers and global positioning system (GPS) units to monitor participants’ activity allow for a dynamic spatial examination of the locations where physical activity occurs. The application of spatial clustering analysis to these geographically linked physical activity data may provide a better understanding of how moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) concentrates ...


Schoolyard physical activity of 6-11 year old children assessed by GPS and accelerometry

  • Published on Aug. 14, 2013

Background Children's current physical activity levels are disturbingly low when compared to recommended levels. This may be changed by intervening in the school environment. However, at present, it is unclear to what extent schoolyard physical activity contributes towards reaching the daily physical activity guideline. The aim of this study was ...


Combining Accelerometers with GPS to Investigate Children’s Outdoor Physical Activity

  • Added on June 16, 2011

Introduction With increasing interest in how the physical environment may influence physical activity, methods are needed that can be used to investigate the environmental context of activity. The aim of this study is to use combined accelerometer and GPS data to describe the level and location of children’s physical ...


Correlates of Seasonal Outdoor Physical Activity Measured Using Accelerometers and GPS

  • Published on 2011

Introduction Combining GPS and accelerometer data offers a new opportunity to objectively measure children’s time spent active outdoors [1]. This is important as greater time spent outdoors is related to reduced risk of obesity. We know little about what factors determine children’s outdoor activity. This study uniquely investigated the ...