Longitudinal relation between perceived neighborhood environment and meeting physical activity guidelines on the U.S./Mexico border

Background. There are varying impacts of the neighborhood environment across different contexts. There has been little research on the association of perceived neighborhood environment with physical activity in resource-poor communities.

Purpose. This study assessed changes in perceptions of the neighborhood environment and its association with physical activity in a high-poverty, low-resource, predominately Mexican American community on the on the U.S.-Mexico border. This community embarked on enhancing pedestrian and cycling infrastructure and programming from 2008-2018.

Methods. We analyzed data from a population-based sample of Mexican American individuals on the U.S.-Mexico border. Yearly questionnaires collected self-reported data (PANES and Godin Leisure-Time). Heat map analysis assessed changes in the positive response rate reflecting perceptions of the neighborhood environment over time, and multivariate-adjusted logistic regression assessed how perceptions of neighborhood environment elements predicted meeting physical activity guidelines.

Results. The sample (n=1036) was mostly female (71%), born in Mexico (70%), had no health insurance (69%). We saw overall improvements in perceptions of several but not all of the neighborhood environment attributes from 2008-2018. We saw different longitudinal trajectories in perceptions based on an individual’s longitudinal physical activity patterns. By 2014-2018, we saw significantly higher positive perceptions of the neighborhood environment for those who consistently met physical activity guidelines compared to those who did not (Adjusted Rate Ratio=1.12, p=0.049).

Conclusions. We found that perceptions of many neighborhood environment attributes improved between 2008 to 2018, and that overall positive perceptions were associated with consistently meeting physical activity guidelines over time.

Practical implications: In predominately minoritized and underserved community, improvements in the neighborhood environment can improve perceptions of the neighborhood and physical activity, though not all perceptions may shift for the whole population.

Funding: This study was funded by the Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (UL1 TR003167) and the Texas Health and Human Services SNAP-Ed.