IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v21y2024i5p607-d1391350.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring the Relationship between Built Environment Attributes and Physical Activity in Lower-Income Aging Adults: Preliminary Insights from a Multi-Level Trial

Author

Listed:
  • Arjan S. Walia

    (Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA)

  • Abby C. King

    (Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
    Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA)

  • Maria I. Campero

    (Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA)

  • Dulce M. Garcia

    (Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA)

  • Rebecca E. Lee

    (Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85004, USA)

  • Astrid N. Zamora

    (Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94304, USA)

Abstract

The built environment has been linked to physical activity (PA) behaviors, yet there is limited knowledge of this association among lower-income midlife and older adults who are insufficiently active. The present cross-sectional study utilized baseline data collected between October 2017 and November 2019 from a clustered randomized controlled trial to determine how built environment attributes were associated with PA behaviors among midlife and older adults (n = 255) residing in or near affordable housing sites (n = 10). At each site, perceptions of the built environment were collected and scored at the participant level via the abbreviated Neighborhood Environment Walkability Survey (NEWS-A), while objective built environment attributes were measured and scored by trained research staff using the Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA). Multiple PA behaviors—walking, total PA, and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) (min/wk)—were measured using the validated Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors (CHAMPS) questionnaire. Adjusted linear regression models examined associations between NEWS-A measures and PA behaviors, and site-level correlations between PARA measures and PA behaviors were examined using Spearman’s rank correlations. At the participant level, adjusted models revealed that a one point increase in the NEWS-A aesthetics score was associated with a 57.37 min/wk increase in walking (β = 57.37 [95% CI: 20.84, 93.91], p = 0.002), with a similar association observed for street connectivity and MVPA (β = 24.31 min/wk [95% CI: 3.22, 45.41], p = 0.02). At the site level, MVPA was positively correlated with the quality of the features of local, PA-supportive environmental resources (ρ = 0.82, p = 0.004). Findings indicate that participant- and site-level measures of the built environment may play a role in promoting PA behavior among this demographic and similar populations. Results also suggest that improvements in aesthetic attributes and street connectivity, along with enhancing the quality of local, PA-supportive environmental resources, may be effective strategies for promoting physical activity among lower-income midlife and older adults.

Suggested Citation

  • Arjan S. Walia & Abby C. King & Maria I. Campero & Dulce M. Garcia & Rebecca E. Lee & Astrid N. Zamora, 2024. "Exploring the Relationship between Built Environment Attributes and Physical Activity in Lower-Income Aging Adults: Preliminary Insights from a Multi-Level Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(5), pages 1-17, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:5:p:607-:d:1391350
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/5/607/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/5/607/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Abby C. King & Diane K. King & Ann Banchoff & Smadar Solomonov & Ofir Ben Natan & Jenna Hua & Paul Gardiner & Lisa Goldman Rosas & Patricia Rodriguez Espinosa & Sandra J. Winter & Jylana Sheats & Debo, 2020. "Employing Participatory Citizen Science Methods to Promote Age-Friendly Environments Worldwide," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-30, February.
    2. Saelens, B.E. & Sallis, J.F. & Black, J.B. & Chen, D., 2003. "Neighborhood-Based Differences in Physical Activity: An Environment Scale Evaluation," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(9), pages 1552-1558.
    3. Cerin, Ester & Conway, Terry L. & Adams, Marc A. & Barnett, Anthony & Cain, Kelli L. & Owen, Neville & Christiansen, Lars B. & van Dyck, Delfien & Mitáš, Josef & Sarmiento, Olga L. & Davey, Rachel C. , 2018. "Objectively-assessed neighbourhood destination accessibility and physical activity in adults from 10 countries: An analysis of moderators and perceptions as mediators," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 282-293.
    4. Cuevas, A.G. & Dawson, B.A. & Williams, D.R., 2016. "Race and skin color in latino health: An analytic review," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 106(12), pages 2131-2136.
    5. Peng Zang & Xuhong Liu & Yabo Zhao & Hongxu Guo & Yi Lu & Charlie Q. L. Xue, 2020. "Eye-Level Street Greenery and Walking Behaviors of Older Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-9, August.
    6. Abby C. King & Feyisayo A. Odunitan-Wayas & Moushumi Chaudhury & Maria Alejandra Rubio & Michael Baiocchi & Tracy Kolbe-Alexander & Felipe Montes & Ann Banchoff & Olga Lucia Sarmiento & Katarina Bälte, 2021. "Community-Based Approaches to Reducing Health Inequities and Fostering Environmental Justice through Global Youth-Engaged Citizen Science," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-29, January.
    7. Borrell, L.N., 2005. "Racial identity among hispanics: Implications for health and well-being," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 95(3), pages 379-381.
    8. David Schlosberg & Lisette B. Collins, 2014. "From environmental to climate justice: climate change and the discourse of environmental justice," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 5(3), pages 359-374, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sophia Graham & Caroline Cao Zha & Abby C. King & Ann W. Banchoff & Clea Sarnquist & Michele Dauber & Michael Baiocchi, 2021. "A Novel Model for Generating Creative, Community-Responsive Interventions to Reduce Gender-Based Violence on College Campuses," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-18, July.
    2. Nicolas Aguilar-Farias & Francisca Roman Mella & Andrea Cortinez-O’Ryan & Jaime Carcamo-Oyarzun & Alvaro Cerda & Marcelo Toledo-Vargas & Sebastian Miranda-Marquez & Susana Cortes-Morales & Teresa Balb, 2022. "Redrawing Cities with Children and Adolescents: Development of a Framework and Opportunity Index for Wellbeing—The REDibuja Study Protocol," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-13, April.
    3. Hasheemah Afaneh & Praveena K. Fernes & Emma C. Lewis & Abby C. King & Ann Banchoff & Jylana L. Sheats, 2022. "Our Voice NOLA: Leveraging a Community Engaged Citizen Science Method to Contextualize the New Orleans Food Environment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-15, November.
    4. Maja Pedersen & Grace E. R. Wood & Praveena K. Fernes & Lisa Goldman Rosas & Ann Banchoff & Abby C. King, 2022. "The “Our Voice” Method: Participatory Action Citizen Science Research to Advance Behavioral Health and Health Equity Outcomes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-16, November.
    5. Anura Amarasinghe & Gerard D'Souza & Cheryl Brown & Tatiana Borisova, 2006. "A Spatial Analysis of Obesity in West Virginia," Working Papers Working Paper 2006-13, Regional Research Institute, West Virginia University.
    6. Tice, Julianne & Batterbury, Simon PJ, 2023. "Who Accesses Solar PV? Energy Justice and Climate Justice in a Local Government Rooftop Solar Programme," Ecology, Economy and Society - the INSEE Journal, Indian Society of Ecological Economics (INSEE), vol. 6(02), July.
    7. Tracey Osborne & Sylvia Cifuentes & Laura Dev & Seánna Howard & Elisa Marchi & Lauren Withey & Marcelo Santos Rocha da Silva, 2024. "Climate justice, forests, and Indigenous Peoples: toward an alternative to REDD + for the Amazon," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 177(8), pages 1-28, August.
    8. Spielman, Seth E. & Yoo, Eun-hye, 2009. "The spatial dimensions of neighborhood effects," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(6), pages 1098-1105, March.
    9. Kevin Credit & Elizabeth Mack, 2019. "Place-making and performance: The impact of walkable built environments on business performance in Phoenix and Boston," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 46(2), pages 264-285, February.
    10. Mi Namgung & B. Elizabeth Mercado Gonzalez & Seungwoo Park, 2019. "The Role of Built Environment on Health of Older Adults in Korea: Obesity and Gender Differences," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-13, September.
    11. Courtney Coughenour & Hanns de la Fuente-Mella & Alexander Paz, 2019. "Analysis of Self-Reported Walking for Transit in a Sprawling Urban Metropolitan Area in the Western U.S," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-16, February.
    12. Eric T. H. Chan & Tim Schwanen & David Banister, 2021. "The role of perceived environment, neighbourhood characteristics, and attitudes in walking behaviour: evidence from a rapidly developing city in China," Transportation, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 431-454, February.
    13. Bijou, Christina & Colen, Cynthia G, 2022. "Shades of health: Skin color, ethnicity, and mental health among Black Americans," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 313(C).
    14. McNeill, Lorna Haughton & Kreuter, Matthew W. & Subramanian, S.V., 2006. "Social Environment and Physical activity: A review of concepts and evidence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(4), pages 1011-1022, August.
    15. Fernando Fonseca & Escolástica Fernandes & Rui Ramos, 2022. "Walkable Cities: Using the Smart Pedestrian Net Method for Evaluating a Pedestrian Network in Guimarães, Portugal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-23, August.
    16. repec:rri:wpaper:200613 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Kent, Jennifer L. & Mulley, Corinne & Stevens, Nick, 2020. "Challenging policies that prohibit public transport use: Travelling with pets as a case study," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 86-94.
    18. Victor O. Akande & Robert A.C. Ruiter & Stef P.J. Kremers, 2019. "Environmental and Motivational Determinants of Physical Activity among Canadian Inuit in the Arctic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-14, July.
    19. Letizia Appolloni & Alberto Giretti & Maria Vittoria Corazza & Daniela D’Alessandro, 2020. "Walkable Urban Environments: An Ergonomic Approach of Evaluation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-31, October.
    20. Letizia Appolloni & Maria Vittoria Corazza & Daniela D’Alessandro, 2019. "The Pleasure of Walking: An Innovative Methodology to Assess Appropriate Walkable Performance in Urban Areas to Support Transport Planning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-26, June.
    21. Jun-Hyun Kim & Chanam Lee & Wonmin Sohn, 2016. "Urban Natural Environments, Obesity, and Health-Related Quality of Life among Hispanic Children Living in Inner-City Neighborhoods," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:5:p:607-:d:1391350. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.