Prospective Study of Urban Form and Physical Activity in the Black Women's Health Study

Abstract

The authors used data from the Black Women's Health Study to assess the association between neighborhood urban form and physical activity. Women reported hours/week of utilitarian and exercise walking and of vigorous activity in 1995 and on biennial follow-up questionnaires through 2001. Housing density, road networks, availability of public transit, sidewalks, and parks were characterized for the residential neighborhoods of 20,354 Black Women's Health Study participants living in New York, New York; Chicago, Illinois; and Los Angeles, California. The authors quantified the associations between features of the environment and physical activity using odds ratios for >or=5 relative to <5 hours/week of physical activity. For all women, housing density had the strongest association with utilitarian walking (odds ratio for the most- compared with the least-dense quintile = 2.72, 95% confidence interval: 2.22, 3.31), followed by availability of public transit. Women who moved during follow-up to neighborhoods of lower density were 36% more likely to decrease their levels of utilitarian walking, and those who moved to neighborhoods of higher density were 23% more likely to increase their levels of utilitarian walking, relative to women who moved to neighborhoods of similar density. These data suggest that increases in housing density may lead to increases in utilitarian walking among African-American women.

Neighbourhood built environment characteristics associated with different types of physical activity in Canadian adults

“…In support of previous evidence, 12,14,15 neighbourhood built environment characteristics appeared to be more important for neighbourhood-based transportation walking versus recreational walking. Similar to findings from other studies, we also found differences in the neighbourhood built environment characteristics that were associated with moderate-intensity versus vigorous-intensity physical activity.…”

“…12 Notably, although there are certain characteristics that are associated with both types of walking, some built environment characteristics appear more important for supporting transportation walking, while others are more important for supporting recreational walking. 12,14,15 Similarly, researchers have found that different built environment characteristics influence the intensity of physical activity undertaken (i.e. walking, moderate-intensity or vigorous-intensity physical activity).…”

Predictors of Physical Activity Change Among Adults Using Observational Designs

“…The majority of the studies were comprised of both males and females (n = 54). Two studies investigated males only [34,35] and 11 studies investigated females only [32,33,[36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44]. The geographical representation was broad with the majority of samples being from the USA (n = 34), with the remainder being from Canada (n = 9), the UK (n = 6), Australia (n = 4), Finland (n = 3), The Netherlands (n = 5), Austria (n = 1), Denmark (n = 1), France (n = 1), Germany (n = 1), Greece (n = 1), and Spain (n = 1).…”

Obesity, Nutrition, and Physical Activity in Blacks and Whites: Implications for Cardiovascular Disease

“…In a review of aspects of the built environment that influence health behaviors in blacks, Casgrande et al [45] concluded that the presence of sidewalks, light traffic, and safety from crime were associated with greater physical activity, whereas barriers to physical activity were associated with obesity. In the Black Women's Health Study of more than 20,000 black women living in three large urban areas in the United States, high housing density and availability of public transit were associated with greater physical activity [46]. Lack of safe and free recreational facilities and parks in low-income areas throughout the United States continue to disproportionately limit opportunities for physical activity in minority populations.…”