T e a c h i n g

         

 

 

Spence, J. C. , Plotnikoff, R. C., & Blanchard, C. (2005-2008). Neighbourhood correlates of walking: The Fitscape Project . Standard Research Grant – Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council ($135,912).

Some evidence exists to suggest that neighbourhoods have an influence on physical activity over and above individual demographic characteristics and that more facilities are available in neighbourhoods of higher socioeconomic status (SES) than medium and low SES neighbourhoods. Thus, adults living in higher SES neighbourhoods report being more physically active and children in higher SES neighbourhoods report more opportunities for physical activity. This suggests that physical activity is a result of the quality of the neighbourhood and the availability of facilities. In fact, the more access people have to facilities, the more likely they are to be physically active. However, it is still unclear whether it is features in the neighbourhood or the perceptions of individuals living in those neighbourhoods that most influences physical activity. Thus, the two aims of this program of research are to:

1. Identify the relationships between the characteristics of people's neighbourhood environments and their physical activity habits.

2. Investigate whether people who live in ‘walkable' neighbourhoods are more physically active, after adjusting for SES.

To assess the above stated questions a study will be conducted to document the association of neighbourhood environment characteristics with self-reported walking and other physical activity. It is hypothesized that physical environment variables (e.g., access to parks) are independently associated with walking and total physical activity.

Sixteen neighbourhoods in Edmonton will be selected to be high and low for walkability (based upon population density, street connectivity, and mixed land use) and high and low on SES. Households within neighbourhoods will be randomly selected and contacted by use of random-digit dialling. Adults between the ages of 18-65 will be recruited. Information about self-reported walking and other physical activity, perceptions of the neighbourhood, and beliefs about physical activity will be collected.

Geographic information systems (GIS), computer-based systems for integrating and analyzing spatially referenced data, will be used to map the neighbourhoods for access to physical activity facilities (e.g., parks, walking paths). Multi-level modelling will be used to determine the extent that neighbourhood level variables influence beliefs, walking and other physical activity.

These findings are relevant to public health, urban planning, and health promotion. The issue being whether people's behaviour can be shaped by their environment or whether they need to have positive beliefs about their abilities and the environment before the actual environment plays a role. One of the potential implications being that municipal governments and planners need to reconsider the way neighbourhoods are being designed. Their actions and decisions may have a direct influence on the health of residents of those neighbourhoods.

 

 

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