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BackgroundRelationships between several built environment factors and physical activity and walking behavior are well established, but internationally-comparable built environment measures are lacking. The Microscale Audit of Pedestrian Streetscapes (MAPS)-Global is an observational measure of detailed streetscape features relevant to physical activity that was developed for international use. This study examined the inter-observer reliability of the instrument in five countries.MethodsMAPS-Global was developed by compiling concepts and items from eight environmental measures relevant to walking and bicycling. Inter-rater reliability data were collected in neighborhoods selected to vary on geographic information system (GIS)-derived macro-level walkability in five countries (Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Hong Kong-China, and Spain). MAPS-Global assessments (n = 325) were completed in person along a ≥ 0.25 mile route from a residence toward a non-residential destination, and a commercial block was also rated for each residence (n = 82). Two raters in each country rated each route independently. A tiered scoring system was created that summarized items at multiple levels of aggregation, and positive and negative valence scores were created based on the expected effect on physical activity. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was computed for scales and selected items using one-way random models.ResultsOverall, 86.6% of individual items and single item indicators showed excellent agreement (ICC ≥ 0.75), and 13.4% showed good agreement (ICC = 0.60–0.74). All subscales and overall summary scores showed excellent agreement. Six of 123 items were too rare to compute the ICC. The median ICC for items and scales was 0.92 with a range of 0.50–1.0. Aesthetics and social characteristics showed lower ICCs than other sub-scales, but reliabilities were still in the excellent range (ICC ≥ 0.75).ConclusionEvaluation of inter-observer reliability of MAPS-Global across five countries indicated all items and scales had “good” or “excellent” reliability. The results demonstrate that trained observers from multiple countries were able to reliably conduct observations of both residential and commercial areas with the new MAPS-Global instrument. Next steps are to evaluate construct validity in relation to physical activity in multiple countries and gain experience with using MAPS-Global for research and practice applications.

Home-neighborhood walkability and school-neighborhood SES were associated with ACS. This study highlights the importance of assessing children's home environment and school environment when ACS behavior is analyzed.

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The execution distance is a tactic factor that affects mechanical performance and execution technique in taekwondo. This study analyzes the roundhouse kick to the head by comparing the maximum impact force, execution time, and impact time in 3 distances according to the athletes' competition level. It also analyzes the relationship between impact force and weight in each group. It examines whether the execution distance affects the maximum impact force, execution time, and impact time, in each level group or 2 different competition levels. Participants were 27 male taekwondo players (13 medallists and 14 nonmedallists). The medallists executed the roundhouse kick to the head with greater impact force and in a shorter execution time than did the nonmedallists when they kicked from any distance different to their combat distance. However, the results showed that the execution distance is influential in the execution time and impact time in the nonmedallist group. It is considered appropriate to orientate the high-level competitors to train for offensive actions from any distance similar to the long execution distance because it offers equally effectiveness and a greater security against the opponent. Also, practitioners should focus their training to improve time performance because it is more affected by distance than impact force.

Although the built environment and certain psychosocial factors are related to adolescents’ active commuting to and from school (ACS), their interrelationships have not been explored in depth. This study describes these interrelationships and behavioral profiles via a self-organizing map (SOM) analysis. The sample comprised 465 adolescents from the IPEN (International Physical Activity and the Environment Network) Adolescent study in Valencia, Spain. ACS, barriers to ACS, physical self-efficacy, social support and sociodemographics were measured by questionnaire. Street-network distance to school, net residential density and street intersection density were calculated from the Geographic Information System. The clustering of the SOM outcomes resulted in eight areas or clusters. The clusters which correspond to the lowest and highest ACS levels were then explored in depth. The lowest ACS levels presented interactions between the less supportive built environments (i.e., low levels of residential density and street connectivity in the neighborhood and greater distances to school) and unfavorable psychosocial variables (i.e., low values of physical self-efficacy and medium social support for ACS) and good access to private motorized transport at home. The adolescents with the lowest ACS values exhibited high ACS environment/safety and planning/psychosocial barrier values. Future interventions should be designed to encourage ACS and change multiple levels of influence, such as individual, psychosocial and environmental factors.

Several psychosocial and environmental correlates of physical activity change were identified, and these are promising targets for interventions.

This study examined the change in behavioral stages (e.g. contemplation, action and maintenance) of cycling to university before and after the implementation of a new public bicycle share program (PBSP) and promotion of its use. The study also determined the change in the prevalence, correlates of PBSP use and potential role in the promotion of healthy weight. An 8-month follow-up cross-sectional study (September 2010-April 2011) was carried out among undergraduate students during the first season of implementation of the PBSP in Valencia, Spain. The sample was 173 students (68.2% female) with a mean age of 21.3 years (SD 3.06) who attended a PBSP promotional session. The data were collected by questionnaire. Results indicated a significant increase of 14.6% in the action/maintenance stage of change and showed that 19% of the participants were PBSP users 8 months later. The behavioral stage did not change when students always had access to car/motorbike, lived further than 5 km from the university and had no bicycle stations within 250 m from home. Those most likely to start using PBSP were students who were in the contemplation stage, perceived fewer environmental and safety barriers to active commuting and had one or more stations within 250 m of home. PBSP users expended ∼257 metabolic equivalent·minutes/week bicycling to university, and there was a small reduction in BMI. Findings suggest that PBSPs can be considered as useful promoters of cycling behavior and may contribute to weight control in university students.