Short Orals: Built environment

Background: Approximately one out of every four adults worldwide fails to meet the physical activity standards recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Inadequate physical activity stands as the fourth-leading risk factor, accounting for 9% of premature deaths globally. A sedentary lifestyle amplifies the risk of all-cause mortality and various ailments such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cancer. Purpose: This study aims to assess physical environment for physical activity and its association with sedentary behavior Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken among teachers from semi-urban areas in Nepal, spanning from November 2018 to April 2019. Results: Approximately 83% of participants reported access to areas suitable for leisurely walks, while 65% claimed to have home facilities for engaging in physical activity. The average daily sedentary time among participants was 158.74 minutes. Notably, 44.4% of participants exceeded this average. The mean (SD) screen time was 2.37 (1.78) hours per day, with over 41% of participants surpassing 2 hours of screen time. The presence of conducive physical activity environments at home or in the neighborhood resulted in a difference in mean sedentary time, though statistically not significant. Conclusions: A favorable physical environment at home or in the neighborhood has a positive effect on reducing sedentary time among teachers in semi-urban areas of Nepal. There is a need for further exploration and promotion of a physical activity environment aimed at reducing sedentary behavior. Practical Implications: The insights garnered from this study can serve as evidence for advocating the promotion of environments conducive to physical activity in Nepal and similar contexts. Funding: This study received no external funding.

Background: Parks are essential physical activity resources in low-to-middle-income urban cities. Park attendance may be affected by different factors. People in Guadalajara report feeling unsafe in parks compared to other cities (IIEG 2021). However, no studies have examined differences in crime-safety perceptions related to the type or quality of park characteristics. Purpose: To assess the crime-safety perceptions of park users according to the type and quality of parks in Guadalajara, Mexico. Methods: The Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA) instrument was used to assess the quality of features and amenities in six parks: 1) Metropolitan park with control gate access (MPCA), n=2, 2) Metropolitan park without control gate access (MPWCA), n=2, and 3) Lineal park (LP; public space along avenues), n=2 by two trained observers. Crime-safety perceptions in parks were assessed in 395 Mexican adult park users using the crime-safety subscale of the Spanish Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale–Abbreviated (NEWS-A; Salvo et al. 2014). Descriptive statistics and PERMANOVA tests were performed in the RStudio 2023.12.0 version. Results: Significant differences in perceived crime-safety according to park type were found (p = 0.002). Specifically, LPs compared to MPCAs (p = 0.006) and to MPWCAs (p=0.004). LPs were perceived as the safer type of park (M=2.41) compared with MPWCAs (M=2.75) and MPCAs (M=2.33). LPs obtained the highest quality PARA score for features (M= 2.88, SD=0.09) and amenities (M=2.80, SD=0.14). However, LPs also contained the highest presence of incivilities (M=1.80, SD=0.14). Conclusions: Results reveal significant differences in crime-safety perceptions among park users based on park type. Lineal parks were perceived as safer from crime despite having the highest presence of incivilities. Future research is needed to explore how park characteristics influence crime-safety perceptions. Practical implications: These results will inform efforts to encourage use of parks as physical activity resources in low-to-middle-income countries such as Mexico. No-funding.

Background: Air pollution can limit participation in physical activity and exacerbate non-communicable disease risk; however, the relationship between child and youth perceptions of air pollution and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) are not fully understood in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Purpose: The objective of this study was to understand the relationship between child and youth perceptions of air pollution, built environment, and MVPA across rural and urban regions in India. Methods: This cross-sectional, observational study was conducted during the Coronavirus disease lockdown in India in 2021. The study implemented a multi-stage stratified random sampling method involving urban and rural schools in five Indian states across 28 different cities and villages. Using Google Forms, children and youth (N=1042) self-reported information on various factors, including MVPA, and perception of air pollution and built environment. The sample was divided based on gender (male and female), geographic location (urban and rural), and age cohorts (5–10 years, 11–13 years, and 14–17 years), resulting in eight multiple linear regression models. Results: After adjusting for age, gender, and location, a significant association was found between the perception of air pollution and MVPA levels. Similarly, the perception of a high crime rate was associated with lower MVPA levels. Conclusions: These findings emphasize the importance of addressing air pollution and improving the built environment to facilitate outdoor active living among children and youth. Practical Implications: Air pollution, in this age of climate emergency, is a significant challenge in LMICs. This is the first to investigate the association between child and youth perceptions of air pollution and MVPA in both urban and rural regions of India – an approach that can be replicated in other LMICs to develop active living policies that mitigate air pollution. Funding: This research was supported by the Canada Research Chairs Program.

Background: Emerging research on the life course of place prompts consideration of how neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) histories shape contemporary built environments and resulting inequities in physical activity. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of longitudinal neighborhood SES trajectories on physical activity and to examine mediation by perceived park availability. Methods: This United States-based study used data on a subset of urban-dwelling participants in the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke Study (n = 7,342 Black and White adults ages > 45 years). Longitudinal neighborhood SES was characterized using Census data at three points (2000, 2008-2012, and 2013-2017). Self-reported park availability and physical activity were collected in 2013-2016. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to characterize the metabolic equivalent of tasks (METs) in minutes per week. Mediation analyses quantified direct, indirect, and total effects. Results: For REGARDS participants, the chance of engaging in at least 1000 MET-minutes/week went up by 3.7% (95% CI: 1.3-6.2) when exposed to neighborhoods consistently characterized as high SES. About 13.1% of the total effect was mediated by perceived park availability (95% CI: 0.8-25.3). Among participants who lived in a neighborhood ever characterized as low SES, prevalence estimates showed 36.9% of participants perceived a lack of parks as a problem in their neighborhood compared to 19.5% of those who lived in a neighborhood consistently characterized as high SES (p<0.001). Conclusions: Place-based perpetuation of neighborhood SES in the United States may help explain inequities in meeting physical activity recommendations—in part through perceived park availability. Practical implications: Promoting physical activity requires an equity-centered approach that accounts for temporally proximate neighborhood socioeconomic histories and their contribution to contemporary perceptions of park availability. Funding: National Institutes of Health: RF1NS127606-01, R01NS092706, and U01NS041588.

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.

Background: Built environments may mitigate negative impacts of weather and season on pedestrians’ physical activity.

Purpose: To identify built environment (BE) audits of pedestrian environments developed for use during a specific weather condition or season, and to investigate gaps in the inclusion of relevant weather mitigating BE features in pedestrian environment audit tools.

Methods: Following a standard protocol, a systematic search was executed in CINAHL, Medline and Web of Science to identify BE audit tools of pedestrian spaces. Studies were screened, and data were extracted from selected documents by two independent reviewers (e.g., psychometric properties, audit items included). Audit items were screened for the inclusion of weather mitigating BE features, and the tool’s capacity to measure temperature, precipitation, seasonal and sustainability impacts on pedestrians was calculated.

Results: The search returned 2823 documents. After screening and full text review, 27 articles were included. No tool was found that was developed specifically for use during a specific weather condition or season. Additionally, gaps in the inclusion of weather mitigating items were found for all review dimensions (temperature, precipitation, seasonal, and sustainability items). Poorly covered items were: (1) temperature related (e.g., arctic entry presence, colours of buildings, green design features); (2) precipitation related (drain presence, ditch presence, snow removal features); (3) seasonal features (e.g., pedestrian scale lighting, winter destinations); and (4) sustainability features (e.g., electric vehicle charging stations).

Conclusions: Current BE audit tools do not adequately include weather/ season mitigating items. This is a limitation as it is important to investigate if the inclusion of these items in pedestrian spaces can promote physical activity during adverse weather conditions.

Practical implications: Because climate change is causing increased extreme weather events, a need exists for the development of a new BE audit tool that includes relevant weather mitigating features.

Funding: Public Health Agency of Canada

Background:
Evidence on the association between parental perceptions of the neighbourhood environment and physical activity in children and adolescents is inconsistent and has never been systematically reviewed and synthesised. Therefore, the aim of this study was to systematically review and synthesise the evidence on this topic.

Methods:
Literature search was conducted in eight electronic databases (MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycInfo, SPORTDiscus, Transport Research Information Services, Environment Complete, and Web of Science) in March 2023, and it was updated in December 2023. We included studies among children (5-11 years old), adolescents (12-17 years old) and mixed-age groups (5-17 years old) in which parental perceptions of neighbourhood environment were analysed in relation to physical activity levels, active travel, active outdoor play, active independent mobility, and sports participation.

Results:
A total of 151 studies were included in the review, most of which were of low methodological quality and used a cross-sectional design. We found 16, 5, and 4 parent-perceived characteristics of neighbourhood environment that were associated with different types of physical activity in children, adolescents, and mixed-age group, respectively. The strongest evidence was found for: (1) negative relationship of traffic volume and speed with children’s active travel, and (2) positive relationship between the proximity to school and active travel in children and mixed-age group. Findings for other parent-perceived characteristics of neighbourhood environment, including residential density, walking and cycling infrastructure, greenery, aesthetics, street connectivity, hilliness, and walkability were inconclusive.

Conclusions:
Shorter distance to school and low traffic volume and speed, as perceived by parents, are favourably associated with their children’s active travel. More studies of high methodological quality, preferably using a longitudinal design, are needed to estimate the associations between parental perceptions of environment attributes and physical activity among children and adolescents.

Background: One strategy to promote physical activity involves creating environments that invite inhabitants to engage in physical activity. The physical activity-friendliness of neighborhoods is often calculated using registered-based geospatial data, but it is unknown how objective measures agree with subjective perception of the population living in that area.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the correspondence of physical activity-friendliness based geodata and individual perceptions.

Methods: Data from 3,437 respondents aged 40-80 from the Doetinchem Cohort Study were integrated with geospatial data. For the subjective measure, respondents were asked if there were any circumstances in their neighborhood making it less appealing to engage in sports and physical activities. For the objective geospatial measure, the Core Indicator for Physical Activity-Friendly Environments was used. This is a composite measure of the proximity and diversity of sports facilities, sports and playgrounds, recreational green and blue spaces, and proximity to amenities. Logistic regressions were used to assess the relationships between both variables, including interactions for age, sex, and education.

Results: A large majority of respondents (87%) evaluates their neighborhood as physical activity friendly. There is no association between the geospatial and perception measures (OR=1.01, 95%CI= 1.00-1.02). Women, higher educated, and older respondents were more likely to perceive their neighborhood more physical activity-friendly.

Conclusions: Preliminary analyses suggest that that is no correspondence between physical activity-friendliness based on geospatial data and self-perceptions. An important limitation is however, that variance was limited. In future investigations we will also assess the relationship with the walkability scale using buffer zones instead of neighborhood scores.

Practical implications: Policymakers and urban planners should be careful in only relying on geospatial data to assess the neighborhood physical activity friendliness.

Funding: This research is funded by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment.