Physical activity in children: does how we define neighbourhood matter?

Physical activity levels in children are low and factors in the neighbourhood are believed to be influential. However, uncertainty remains about how best to define the neighbourhood. We therefore sought to study the role of area definition on neighbourhood variations in child physical activity using data collected at age 11 from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, UK. We found the effect of neighbourhood of residence on variations in PA was small, explaining under 3% of variance at best, and was not strongly dependent on the manner by which the neighbourhood was defined. Our results suggest that while characteristics of local environments may be important determinants of activity, the delineation of neighbourhoods based on shared social or physical characteristics may not best capture the local influences.

[1]  T. Torsheim,et al.  School-related stress, support, and subjective health complaints among early adolescents: a multilevel approach. , 2001, Journal of adolescence.

[2]  Søren Brage,et al.  Accelerometers and pedometers: methodology and clinical application , 2007, Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care.

[3]  Andrew P. Jones,et al.  Environmental determinants of active travel in youth: A review and framework for future research , 2008, The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity.

[4]  K. Pickett,et al.  Multilevel analyses of neighbourhood socioeconomic context and health outcomes: a critical review , 2001, Journal of epidemiology and community health.

[5]  G. Batty,et al.  Physical Fitness and Physical Activity at Age 13 Years as Predictors of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors at Ages 15, 25, 33, and 40 Years: Extended Follow-up of the Oslo Youth Study , 2009, Pediatrics.

[6]  J. Irwin,et al.  Environmental influences on physical activity levels in youth. , 2009, Health & place.

[7]  M. Campagna.  GIS for Sustainable Development , 2005 .

[8]  S. Saxena,et al.  Mental health benefits of physical activity , 2005 .

[9]  P. Bréchat,et al.  Health benefits of physical activity in older patients: a review , 2009, International journal of clinical practice.

[10]  U. Ekelund,et al.  Physical activity assessed by activity monitor and doubly labeled water in children. , 2001, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[11]  P. D. Watson,et al.  Validity of the computer science and applications (CSA) activity monitor in children. , 1998, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[12]  Jae-Eun Kim,et al.  The Built Environment and Health: Introducing Individual Space-Time Behavior , 2009, International journal of environmental research and public health.

[13]  J. Salmon,et al.  Where do children usually play? A qualitative study of parents' perceptions of influences on children's active free-play. , 2006, Health & place.

[14]  S. Griffin,et al.  Effectiveness of interventions to promote physical activity in children and adolescents: systematic review of controlled trials , 2009 .

[15]  R. Reading,et al.  Accidents to preschool children: comparing family and neighbourhood risk factors. , 1999, Social science & medicine.

[16]  L. Berkman,et al.  Neighborhoods and health , 2003 .

[17]  Andrew Jones,et al.  Neighbourhood variations in child accidents and related child and maternal characteristics: does area definition make a difference? , 2008, Health & place.

[18]  P. Tucker,et al.  The effect of season and weather on physical activity: a systematic review. , 2007, Public health.

[19]  M. Sjöström,et al.  Physical fitness in childhood and adolescence: a powerful marker of health , 2008, International Journal of Obesity.

[20]  Andrew T. Kaczynski,et al.  Association of Parkland Proximity with Neighborhood and Park-based Physical Activity: Variations by Gender and Age , 2009 .

[21]  Greet Cardon,et al.  Neighbourhood walkability and its particular importance for adults with a preference for passive transport. , 2009, Health & place.

[22]  David Martin,et al.  Zone design for environment and health studies using pre-aggregated data. , 2005, Social science & medicine.

[23]  A. Roux.  Investigating Neighborhood and Area Effects on Health , 2001 .

[24]  M. Jerrett,et al.  Meeting health need, accessing health care: the role of neighbourhood. , 2005, Health & place.

[25]  S. Griffin,et al.  The contribution of active travel to children's physical activity levels: cross-sectional results from the ALSPAC study. , 2009, Preventive medicine.

[26]  Andrew P Jones,et al.  The use of multilevel models for the prediction of road accident outcomes. , 2003, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[27]  B. Giles-Corti,et al.  Features of public open spaces and physical activity among children: findings from the CLAN study. , 2008, Preventive medicine.

[28]  R. Reading,et al.  Individual factors explain neighbourhood variations in accidents to children under 5 years of age. , 2008, Social science & medicine.

[29]  R. Flowerdew,et al.  Neighbourhood effects on health: does it matter where you draw the boundaries? , 2008, Social science & medicine.

[30]  N. Wareham,et al.  Use of accelerometers in a large field-based study of children: protocols, design issues, and effects on precision. , 2008, Journal of physical activity & health.

[31]  P. Freedson,et al.  Validity of the Computer Science and Applications, Inc. (CSA) activity monitor. , 1995, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[32]  B. Giles-Corti.  People or places: what should be the target? , 2005, Journal of science and medicine in sport.

[33]  S. Grant,et al.  Using the Computer Science and Applications (CSA) Activity Monitor in Preschool Children , 1999 .

[34]  M. Pembrey,et al.  ALSPAC--the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. I. Study methodology. , 2001, Paediatric and perinatal epidemiology.

[35]  Shultis Wa.  Haemoglobin A1C in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). , 2005 .

[36]  P. Townsend,et al.  Health and Deprivation: Inequality and the North , 1987 .

[37]  N. Ross,et al.  Neighbourhood influences on health in Montréal, Canada. , 2004, Social science & medicine.

[38]  Basile Chaix,et al.  A brief conceptual tutorial on multilevel analysis in social epidemiology: interpreting neighbourhood differences and the effect of neighbourhood characteristics on individual health , 2005, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

[39]  S. Alvanides,et al.  Zone Design in Public Health Policy , 2006 .

[40]  J Viikari,et al.  Physical activity in childhood and adolescence as predictor of physical activity in young adulthood. , 1997, American journal of preventive medicine.

[41]  J. Prochaska,et al.  A review of correlates of physical activity of children and adolescents. , 2000, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[42]  R. Mackett,et al.  Children's Physical Activity: The Contribution of Playing and Walking , 2008 .

[43]  Anna F Timperio,et al.  International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Understanding Environmental Influences on Nutrition and Physical Activity Behaviors: Where Should We Look and What Should We Count? , 2022 .