Characteristics of Urban Sidewalks/Streets and Objectively Measured Physical Activity |
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Authors: | Richard R Suminski Katie M Heinrich Walker S C Poston Melissa Hyder Sara Pyle |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Physiology, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, 1750 Independence Ave., Kansas, MO 64106, USA;(2) Department of Public Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA;(3) Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas, MO, USA;(4) Department of Family Medicine, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, Kansas, MO, USA |
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Abstract: | Several studies have found significant relationships between environmental characteristics (e.g., number of destinations,
aesthetics) and physical activity. While a few of these studies verified that the physical activities assessed were performed
in the environments examined, none have done this in an urban, neighborhood setting. This information will help efforts to
inform policy decisions regarding the design of more “physically active” communities. Fourteen environmental characteristics
of 60, 305-m-long segments, located in an urban, residential setting, were directly measured using standardized procedures.
The number of individuals walking, jogging, and biking in the segments was assessed using an observation technique. The segments
were heterogeneous with regards to several of the environmental characteristics. A total of 473 individuals were seen walking,
bicycling, or jogging in the segments during 3,600 min of observation (60 min/segment). Of the 473 seen, 315 were walking,
116 bicycling, and 42 jogging. A greater number of individuals were seen walking in segments with more traffic, sidewalk defects,
graffiti, and litter and less desirable property aesthetics. Only one environmental characteristic was associated with bicycling
and none were significantly related with jogging. This study provides further evidence that environmental characteristics
and walking are related. It also adds new information regarding the importance of scale (e.g., micro, macro) and how some
environmental characteristics of urban, residential sidewalks and streets relate to physical activity.
Suminski and Hyder are with the Department of Physiology, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, Kansas, MO,
USA; Heinrich is with the Department of Public Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at
Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA; Poston is with the Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City School
of Medicine, Kansas, MO, USA; Pyle is with the Department of Family Medicine, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences,
Kansas, MO, USA. |
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Keywords: | Cross-sectional study Environment Exercise |
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