Moderating effect of the neighbourhood physical activity environment on the relation between psychosocial factors and physical activity in children: a longitudinal study

Abstract

BackgroundFew studies have examined the moderating role of neighbourhood environments on the relation between psychosocial factors and physical activity, and results of these studies are mixed. This study examined this relationship in 636 fifth to seventh graders from South Carolina, USA.MethodsFrom 2010 to 2013, children and their parent/guardian completed annual self-reported surveys assessing psychosocial factors, and children wore accelerometers for 1 week each year. Neighbourhood environments were classified as supportive or non-supportive for physical activity (PA) based on in-person audits of facilities near children’s homes and windshield surveys of children’s streets. Growth curve analyses were completed to assess the moderating effect of the neighbourhood physical activity environment (NPAE) on the relation between psychosocial factors and total physical activity (TPA) over time.ResultsSignificant interactions on TPA were found for (1) time, NPAE and parent-reported parent support for PA; (2) time, NPAE and child-reported equipment in the home; (3) child-reported parental support for PA and time; (4) child-reported parental support for PA and NPAE; (5) PA self-schema and time and (6) child-reported parental encouragement and time. Parental support and a supportive NPAE were important for TPA, especially as children transitioned to middle school, whereas home equipment and a supportive NPAE were important for fifth graders’ TPA.ConclusionConsistent with the socioecological model, PA behaviour was dependent on interacting effects across levels of influence. Generally, both a supportive NPAE and positive psychosocial factors were needed to support TPA. Factors influencing PA across multiple levels should be addressed in PA interventions.

Perceived Neighborhood Crime Safety Moderates the Association Between Racial Discrimination Stress and Chronic Health Conditions Among Hispanic/Latino Adults

“…Specifically, the positive association between racial discrimination stress and presence of a chronic health condition is significant only among those who report lower perceived neighborhood safety from crime. This finding is consistent with theoretical models and empirical literature that have characterized the environment as a moderator of the association between psychosocial factors and health/health behaviors ( 18 , 29 , 30 ). The findings also highlight the importance of studying and targeting the perceived walkability of neighborhoods in more specific rather than general ways.…”

“…Additionally, neighborhood walkability can be described as an example of institutional racism, such that Hispanics/Latinos disproportionately live in low socioeconomic areas, which is associated with lower objective and perceived neighborhood walkability ( 27 , 28 ). Theoretical models and empirical literature tend to suggest one's environment is a moderator in the association between psychosocial factors and health/health behaviors ( 18 , 29 , 30 ). However, the association between perceived neighborhood walkability and racial discrimination stress and how they interact in their associations with chronic diseases among Hispanics/Latinos in the United States are unknown.…”

“…Regarding aim 1, it is hypothesized that there will be a significant inverse association between racial discrimination stress and overall perceived neighborhood walkability ( 26 , 28 , 31 ); a significant positive association between racial discrimination stress and having a chronic health condition ( 18 , 20 , 22 – 25 ); and a significant inverse association between overall perceived neighborhood walkability and having a chronic health condition ( 7 , 11 ). Regarding aim 2, it is hypothesized that overall perceived neighborhood walkability will significantly moderate the association between racial discrimination stress and having a chronic health condition ( 18 , 29 , 30 ), such that higher overall perceived neighborhood walkability will reduce the strength of the association between racial discrimination stress and having a chronic health condition, adjusting for age, BMI, annual household income, acculturation, U.S. region of residence, and health insurance status ( 32 – 41 ).…”

Giardiasis in children: molecular genotyping, growth and calprotectin levels

“…Physical development is one of the integral indicators of the biological maturity of the body systems, since it determines, the course and consequences of many diseases, on one hand, and depends on health indicators on the other hand. Informativeness of the indicators of physical development is confirmed by high correlation with many functional and structural systems of the body and serves as one of the criteria for assessing the capacity to work 51,52 .…”

Proactive prevention: Act now to disrupt the impending non-communicable disease crisis in low-burden populations

“…This has been demonstrated for young adults, the elderly and children [25][26][27][28]. For example, there is extensive evidence that the availability of parks, playgrounds, and green spaces as well as other neighborhood features such as walkability and safety, profoundly shape children's daily physical activity patterns [29][30][31][32][33]. Moreover, a broader, more ambitious built environment agenda would integrate physical activity with road safety measures in urban settings and thus have large co-benefits with injury prevention.…”