IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0137402.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Use of Kernel Density Estimation to Examine Associations between Neighborhood Destination Intensity and Walking and Physical Activity

Author

Listed:
  • Tania L King
  • Lukar E Thornton
  • Rebecca J Bentley
  • Anne M Kavanagh

Abstract

Background: Local destinations have previously been shown to be associated with higher levels of both physical activity and walking, but little is known about how the distribution of destinations is related to activity. Kernel density estimation is a spatial analysis technique that accounts for the location of features relative to each other. Using kernel density estimation, this study sought to investigate whether individuals who live near destinations (shops and service facilities) that are more intensely distributed rather than dispersed: 1) have higher odds of being sufficiently active; 2) engage in more frequent walking for transport and recreation. Methods: The sample consisted of 2349 residents of 50 urban areas in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. Destinations within these areas were geocoded and kernel density estimates of destination intensity were created using kernels of 400m (meters), 800m and 1200m. Using multilevel logistic regression, the association between destination intensity (classified in quintiles Q1(least)—Q5(most)) and likelihood of: 1) being sufficiently active (compared to insufficiently active); 2) walking≥4/week (at least 4 times per week, compared to walking less), was estimated in models that were adjusted for potential confounders. Results: For all kernel distances, there was a significantly greater likelihood of walking≥4/week, among respondents living in areas of greatest destinations intensity compared to areas with least destination intensity: 400m (Q4 OR 1.41 95%CI 1.02–1.96; Q5 OR 1.49 95%CI 1.06–2.09), 800m (Q4 OR 1.55, 95%CI 1.09–2.21; Q5, OR 1.71, 95%CI 1.18–2.48) and 1200m (Q4, OR 1.7, 95%CI 1.18–2.45; Q5, OR 1.86 95%CI 1.28–2.71). There was also evidence of associations between destination intensity and sufficient physical activity, however these associations were markedly attenuated when walking was included in the models. Conclusions: This study, conducted within urban Melbourne, found that those who lived in areas of greater destination intensity walked more frequently, and showed higher odds of being sufficiently physically active–an effect that was largely explained by levels of walking. The results suggest that increasing the intensity of destinations in areas where they are more dispersed; and or planning neighborhoods with greater destination intensity, may increase residents’ likelihood of being sufficiently active for health.

Suggested Citation

  • Tania L King & Lukar E Thornton & Rebecca J Bentley & Anne M Kavanagh, 2015. "The Use of Kernel Density Estimation to Examine Associations between Neighborhood Destination Intensity and Walking and Physical Activity," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(9), pages 1-16, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0137402
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137402
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0137402
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0137402&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0137402?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michael D. M. Bader & Marnie Purciel & Paulette Yousefzadeh & Kathryn M. Neckerman, 2010. "Disparities in Neighborhood Food Environments: Implications of Measurement Strategies," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 86(4), pages 409-430, October.
    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. Michael Carolan, 2021. "Putting food access in its topological place: thinking in terms of relational becomings when mapping space," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 38(1), pages 243-256, February.
    2. Bimbo, Francesco & Viscecchia, Rosaria & Nardone, Gianluca, 2012. "Does the alternative food supply network affect the human health?," 126th Seminar, June 27-29, 2012, Capri, Italy 126060, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    3. Hui Jeong Ha & Jinhyung Lee & Junghwan Kim & Youngjoon Kim, 2022. "Uncovering Inequalities in Food Accessibility between Koreans and Japanese in 1930s Colonial Seoul Using GIS and Open-Source Transport Analytics Tools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-25, September.
    4. Berning, Joshua P., 2012. "Access to Local Agriculture and Weight Outcomes," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 41(1), pages 57-71, April.
    5. Jennifer J. Salinas & Elizabeth Rocha & Bassent E. Abdelbary & Jennifer Gay & Ken Sexton, 2012. "Impact of Hispanic Ethnic Concentration and Socioeconomic Status on Obesity Prevalence in Texas Counties," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-15, April.
    6. Jason Winfree & Philip Watson, 2021. "Buy Local and Social Interaction," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(4), pages 1454-1477, August.
    7. Ryan Storr & Julia Carins & Sharyn Rundle-Thiele, 2019. "Assessing Support for Advantaged and Disadvantaged Groups: A Comparison of Urban Food Environments," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-10, March.
    8. Madeleine I. G. Daepp, 2015. "Prices and Availability of Healthy Foods across St. Louis," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 60(2), pages 209-224, September.
    9. Cannuscio, Carolyn C. & Hillier, Amy & Karpyn, Allison & Glanz, Karen, 2014. "The social dynamics of healthy food shopping and store choice in an urban environment," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 13-20.
    10. Maureen Murphy & Hannah Badland & Helen Jordan & Mohammad Javad Koohsari & Billie Giles-Corti, 2018. "Local Food Environments, Suburban Development, and BMI: A Mixed Methods Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-19, July.
    11. Caitlin E. Caspi & Jennifer E. Pelletier & Lisa J. Harnack & Darin J. Erickson & Kathleen Lenk & Melissa N. Laska, 2017. "Pricing of Staple Foods at Supermarkets versus Small Food Stores," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-12, August.
    12. Zeng, Di & Thomsen, Michael R. & Nayga, Rodolfo M. & Bennett, Judy L., 2019. "Supermarket access and childhood bodyweight: Evidence from store openings and closings," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 78-88.
    13. Geoffrey T. Wodtke & Matthew Parbst, 2017. "Neighborhoods, Schools, and Academic Achievement: A Formal Mediation Analysis of Contextual Effects on Reading and Mathematics Abilities," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 54(5), pages 1653-1676, October.
    14. repec:zwi:journl:v:41:y:2012:i:1:p:57-71 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Giovanni Peira & Luigi Bollani & Chiara Giachino & Alessandro Bonadonna, 2018. "The Management of Unsold Food in Outdoor Market Areas: Food Operators’ Behaviour and Attitudes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-16, April.
    16. Morrissey, Taryn W. & Oellerich, Don & Meade, Erica & Simms, Jeffrey & Stock, Ann, 2016. "Neighborhood poverty and children's food insecurity," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 85-93.
    17. Arturo E. Osorio & Maria G. Corradini & Jerome D. Williams, 2013. "Remediating food deserts, food swamps, and food brownfields: helping the poor access nutritious, safe, and affordable food," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 3(4), pages 217-231, December.
    18. Jackson, Dylan B. & Johnson, Kecia R. & Vaughn, Michael G. & Hinton, Marissa E., 2019. "The role of neighborhoods in household food insufficiency: Considering interactions between physical disorder, low social capital, violence, and perceptions of danger," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 221(C), pages 58-67.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:plo:pone00:0137402. 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: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    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.