Association between daily physical activity and neighborhood environments

Area of Science:

• Urban Planning
• Public Health
• Environmental Psychology

Background:

• Previous research on physical activity (PA) and neighborhood environments (NE) has often relied on either objective measurements or resident perceptions.
• There's a need to understand how both actual and perceived NE influence PA in different populations.
• Investigating these associations in Japan can provide culturally specific insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine which aspects of neighborhood environments, whether objectively measured or subjectively perceived, are associated with residents' physical activity levels in Japan.
• To explore potential sex differences in the relationship between physical activity and neighborhood environments.

Main Methods:

• Two regions in a Japanese city were selected based on objective measures of residential density, land use mix-diversity, and street connectivity (high vs. low).
• Subjects were recruited using stratified random sampling by sex and age.
• Neighborhood environments were assessed using Geographic Information System (GIS) data and resident questionnaires. Physical activity, including daily walking steps and walking/cycling time, was measured using accelerometers and questionnaires.

Main Results:

• For females, higher land use mix-diversity (GIS) correlated with longer cycling time for transport. Awareness of walkable destinations and perceived accessibility to daily necessity facilities were linked to higher walking steps and cycling time.
• For males, perceived aesthetics and accessibility to parks were associated with longer leisure walking time. Perceived accessibility to bookstores or rental video stores correlated with higher total walking steps.

Conclusions:

• Daily physical activity is associated with neighborhood environments, with variations based on sex.
• For women in Japan, PA is higher in areas with diverse land use and accessible daily facilities.
• For men, PA is linked to perceived neighborhood aesthetics and access to recreational facilities.