Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
06:51
Physical Activity Measurement in Children Accepting Table Tennis Training
Published on: July 27, 2022
Observed, GIS, and self-reported environmental features and adolescent physical activity
Russell Jago1, Tom Baranowski, Janice C Baranowski
1Department of Exercise and Health Sciences, Centre for Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TP, United Kingdom. russ.jago@gmail.com
American Journal of Health Promotion : AJHP
|July 29, 2006
Summary
Environmental features like parks and crime were analyzed for their impact on adolescent male physical activity. Only observed sidewalk characteristics were linked to sedentary behavior and light activity levels.
Area of Science:
- Environmental health
- Physical activity research
- Urban planning and public health
Background:
- Understanding environmental influences on physical activity is crucial for public health interventions.
- Adolescent males' physical activity levels are often suboptimal, necessitating research into contributing factors.
- Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and self-report measures offer different perspectives on environmental exposures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine associations between observed, self-reported, and GIS-derived environmental features and physical activity in adolescent males.
- To determine which environmental characteristics are most strongly related to physical activity behaviors.
- To explore the interrelationships among different types of environmental data.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 210 adolescent males (10-14 years old) from Boy Scout troops in Houston, Texas.
- Physical activity was objectively measured using accelerometry.
- Environmental features were assessed using GIS data, self-reports, and direct observations, with principal component analysis used for data reduction.
Main Results:
- Three GIS factors (Parks, Crime, Gyms) and two self-reported factors (difficulty/access, safety) were identified.
- Factor scores showed interrelationships with each other and with observed environmental factors.
- Only observed sidewalk characteristics demonstrated a significant association with physical activity levels.
Conclusions:
- Environmental factors are interconnected, but their association with physical activity varies by measurement method.
- Observed sidewalk characteristics emerged as the sole significant environmental correlate of sedentary behavior and light-intensity physical activity in this cohort.
- Future research should focus on objectively measured environmental features, particularly those related to walkability, for understanding adolescent physical activity.
Related Concept Videos
03:00Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
01:22Self-Report Tests of Personality
Self-report inventories are objective personality assessments that use multiple-choice items or numbered scales, typically ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). They are often called Likert scales after Rensis Likert. These inventories are widely used due to their ease of administration and cost-effectiveness. One of the most prominent examples is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), initially developed in the 1940s to assess abnormal personality traits.