Built Environment
Environmental Noise Exposure and Mental Health: Evidence From a Population-Based Longitudinal Study
Exposure to environmental noise from within homes has been associated with poor mental health. Existing evidence rests on cross-sectional studies prone to residual confounding, reverse causation, and small sample sizes, failing to adequately consider the causal nature of this relationship. Furthermore, few studies have examined the sociodemographic distribution of noise exposure at a country level.Neighborhood Environment and Metabolic Risk in Hispanics/Latinos From the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos
This study examines the associations of neighborhood environments with BMI, HbA1c, and diabetes across 6 years in Hispanic/Latino adults.The Relationship Between Environmental Exposures and Post-Stroke Physical Activity
Post-stroke physical activity has widespread health benefits. Environmental exposures may shape post-stroke physical activity behavior. This study investigates the relationships between environmental exposures and post-stroke physical activity.The Association Between Neighborhood Public Transportation Usage and Youth Physical Activity
Routine adolescent physical activity is a well-established predictor of positive health across the lifespan, although wide disparities in youth physical activity engagement persist across sex and race/ethnicity. Transportation barriers may be related to adolescents’ ability to access physical activity opportunities. This study examines the association between neighborhood public transportation usage and adolescent physical activity using a national sample.Air Quality Awareness and Behaviors of U.S. Adolescents With and Without Asthma
Among U.S. adolescents, the knowledge that air pollution can impact health is relatively high and varies by the demographics of the respondents and the places they live, but the influence of asthma status is unknown. This study assesses the role of asthma in U.S. adolescents’ awareness, perceptions, and behaviors related to air pollution.Neighborhood Green Land Cover and Neighborhood-Based Walking in U.S. Older Adults
Greenspace exposure has been associated with physical activity, but few studies have investigated its association with physical activity in the residential neighborhood. This study investigates whether greater amounts of neighborhood open space and forest are associated with neighborhood-based walking in older adults.Mobility Patterns Before, During, and Anticipated After the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Opportunity to Nurture Bicycling
The purpose of this study is to quantify the immediate and anticipated effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on local travel in the U.S.The Impact of Driving Time to Family Planning Facilities on Preventive Service Use in Ohio
Publicly funded family planning clinics provide preventive health services to low-income populations in the U.S. In recent years, several states, including Ohio, have restricted public funds for organizations that provide or refer patients to abortion care, often resulting in clinic closures. This research evaluates the effects of such closures on preventive service use and access to care among female adults in Ohio.Subway Ridership, Crowding, or Population Density: Determinants of COVID-19 Infection Rates in New York City
This study aims to determine whether subway ridership and built environmental factors, such as population density and points of interests, are linked to the per capita COVID-19 infection rate in New York City ZIP codes, after controlling for racial and socioeconomic characteristics.Long-Term Air Pollution and Blood Pressure in an African American Cohort: the Jackson Heart Study
African Americans are disproportionately affected by high blood pressure, which may be associated with exposure to air pollutants, such as fine particulate matter and ozone.Income Segregation and Access to Healthy Food
Differences in diet quality across socioeconomic groups are a key contributor to health gradient. An agent-based model was developed to explore how income segregation affects food access for poor households under idealized circumstances where the poor have the same knowledge of and preferences for healthy food as the nonpoor.Potential Impact of Autonomous Vehicles on Movement Behavior: A Scoping Review
This scoping review examines the literature as it relates to autonomous vehicles and impact on movement behavior (i.e., physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep) or mode choice (e.g., public transit), beliefs about movement behavior or mode choice, or impact on environments that may influence movement behavior or mode choice.Poor Health and Violent Crime Hot Spots: Mitigating the Undesirable Co-Occurrence Through Focused Place-Based Interventions
The geographic overlap of violence and poor health is a major public health concern. To understand whether and how place-based interventions targeting micro-geographic places can reduce this undesirable co-occurrence, the study addresses 2 important questions. First, to what extent are deteriorated health conditions associated with living at violent crime hot spots? Second, through what mechanisms can focused place-based interventions break the association between living with violence and deteriorated health?Drop-And-Spin Virtual Neighborhood Auditing: Assessing Built Environment for Linkage to Health Studies
Various built environment factors might influence certain health behaviors and outcomes. Reliable, resource-efficient methods that are feasible for assessing built environment characteristics across large geographies are needed for larger, more robust studies. This paper reports the item response prevalence, reliability, and rating time of a new virtual neighborhood audit protocol, drop-and-spin auditing, developed for assessment of walkability and physical disorder characteristics across large geographic areas.Physical Activity Levels and New Public Transit: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Physical inactivity is a public health concern as it contributes to the rising burden of noncommunicable diseases. Introducing new public transportation options, such as extending or building new light rail or bus rapid transit stations, could encourage commuters to walk to and from public transit stops, thus increasing their physical activity levels. Despite previous research generally finding positive associations between public transit usage and physical activity levels, few have summarized the association between introducing new public transportation options and different intensities of physical activity.Physical Activity and Social Behaviors of Urban Children in Green Playgrounds
Nature exposure is associated with many wellbeing benefits. However, the influence of green space on the physical activity and social behaviors of children is not completely understood. The purpose of the study was to complete a stepwise impact evaluation of a large-scale playground greening project at a Title 1 elementary school in Los Angeles, California.Disparities in Preventable Hospitalizations Among Public Housing Developments
This study assesses preventable hospitalization rates among New York City residents living in public housing developments compared with all New York City residents and residents in low-income areas. Additionally, preventable hospitalization rates by development (one or multiple buildings in close proximity and served by the same management office) were determined.Geographic and Urban–Rural Differences in Walking for Leisure and Transportation
Walking can serve many purposes, such as transportation (to get some place) or leisure (for fun, relaxation, or exercise); therefore, it provides many opportunities for people to be physically active. This study examines geographic and urban–rural differences in walking in the U.S.Automated Vehicles and Pedestrian Safety: Exploring the Promise and Limits of Pedestrian Detection
U.S. pedestrian fatalities have risen recently, even as vehicles are equipped with increasingly sophisticated safety and crash avoidance technology. Many experts expect that advances in automated vehicle technology will reduce pedestrian fatalities substantially through eliminating crashes caused by human error. This paper investigates automated vehicles’ potential for reducing pedestrian fatalities by analyzing nearly 5,000 pedestrian fatalities recorded in 2015 in the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, virtually reconstructing them under a hypothetical scenario that replaces involved vehicles with automated versions equipped with state-of-the-art (as of December 2017) sensor technology.Reassessing Urban Health Interventions: Back to the Future with Google Street View Time Machine
Validity of research linking built environments to health relies on the availability and reliability of data used to measure exposures. As cities transform, it is important to track when and where urban changes occur, to provide detailed information for urban health intervention research. This paper presents an online observation method of the implementation of traffic-calming features using Google Street View Time Machine. The method is used to validate an existing administrative database detailing the implementation of curb extensions and speed bumps.Transportation and Leisure Walking Among U.S. Adults: Trends in Reported Prevalence and Volume, National Health Interview Survey 2005–2015
Promotion of walking is a promising strategy for increasing physical activity levels in the U.S. The proportion of adults who report walking for either transportation or leisure has increased in recent years, but evidence on trends in walking for specific purposes is limited.Policy Pathways to Address Provider Workforce Barriers to Buprenorphine Treatment
At least 2.3 million people in the U.S. have an opioid use disorder, less than 40% of whom receive evidence-based treatment. Buprenorphine used as part of medication-assisted treatment has high potential to address this gap because of its approval for use in non-specialty outpatient settings, effectiveness at promoting abstinence, and cost effectiveness. However, less than 4% of licensed physicians are approved to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder, and approximately 47% of counties lack a buprenorphine-waivered physician.Social Work Student and Practitioner Roles in Integrated Care Settings
Social workers are increasingly being deployed in integrated medical and behavioral healthcare settings but information about the roles they fill in these settings is not well understood. This study sought to identify the functions that social workers perform in integrated settings and identify where they acquired the necessary skills to perform them.Peer Workers in the Behavioral and Integrated Health Workforce: Opportunities and Future Directions
The growth of the peer workforce in behavioral health services is bringing opportunities to organizations and institutions that serve people living with mental and substance use disorders and their families. Peer workers are defined as people in recovery from mental illness or substance use disorders or both that possess specific peer support competencies. Similar roles are identified for families of people in recovery. Peer support has been implemented in a vast range of behavioral health services, including in the relatively new use of peer support in criminal justice and emergency service environments.Proximity to Liquor Stores and Adolescent Alcohol Intake: A Prospective Study
Cross-sectional studies have reported associations between liquor store availability and alcohol use among adolescents, but few prospective studies have confirmed this association. The aim of this study was to examine whether proximity to liquor stores at age 14 years was associated with alcohol intake at ages 14, 17, and 20 years.Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Retirement: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
Physical activity and sedentary behavior are major risk factors for chronic disease. These behaviors may change at retirement, with implications for health in later life. The study objective was to describe longitudinal patterns of moderate to vigorous and domain-specific physical activity and TV watching by retirement status.Neighborhood Environments and Physical Activity: A Longitudinal Study of Adolescents in a Natural Experiment
Experimental and quasi-experimental evidence on the relationship between adolescents’ physical activity and their physical activity environments is scarce. This study provides natural experimental evidence using within-person longitudinal variation in physical activity environments resulting from the compulsory re-assignment of military families to new installations, termed permanent changes of station.Perceived and Observed Food Environments, Eating Behaviors, and BMI
This study examines relationships between perceived and observed nutrition environments, diet, and BMI, in order to examine the criterion validity of the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey–Perceived (NEMS–P).Violent Crime and Park Use in Low-Income Urban Neighborhoods
Crime and safety are often cited as potential hurdles to park use and park-based physical activity. Using comprehensive data sources including both objective and subjective measurements at the park level and the individual level, this study aimed to assess the association between crime rates and use of local parks in low-income urban neighborhoods.Environmental Supports for Physical Activity, National Health Interview Survey–2015
The Guide to Community Preventive Services recommends combined built environment approaches to increase physical activity, including new or enhanced transportation infrastructure (e.g., sidewalks) and land use and environmental design interventions (e.g., close proximity of local destinations). The aim of this brief report is to provide nationally representative estimates of two types of built environment supports for physical activity: near-home walkable infrastructure and destinations, from the 2015 National Health Interview Survey.Residential Green Space Quantity and Quality and Child Well-being: A Longitudinal Study
There are few studies on the potential benefits of green space quantity and quality for child well-being. The authors hypothesized that more and better quality residential green space would be favorable for well-being and that these associations could be subject to effect modification across childhood.Helmet Use Among Personal Bicycle Riders and Bike Share Users in Vancouver, BC
Public bike share users have low prevalence of helmet use, and few public bike share systems make helmets available. In summer 2016, a public bike share system launched in Vancouver, BC. Each bicycle is equipped with a free helmet, in response to BC’s all-ages compulsory helmet law. This study assessed the prevalence of helmet use among adult cyclists on personal and public bicycles in Vancouver.Increases in Use and Activity Due to Urban Renewal: Effect of a Natural Experiment
Urban green space and other recreational facilities are associated with physical activity. For adolescents living in multistory housing, public outdoor spaces that support physical activity may play an important role in activity promotion strategies. However, stronger evidence for a relation between the built environment and adolescent physical activity is scarce.Neighborhood Environment and Cognition in Older Adults: A Systematic Review
Some evidence suggests that treating vascular risk factors and performing mentally stimulating activities may delay cognitive impairment onset in older adults. Exposure to a complex neighborhood environment may be one mechanism to help delay cognitive decline.The Built Environment and Cognitive Disorders: Results From the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study II
Built environment features have been related to behavior modification and might stimulate cognitive activity with a potential impact on cognitive health in later life. This study investigated cross-sectional associations between features of land use and cognitive impairment and dementia, and also explored urban and rural differences in these associations.A Reliable, Feasible Method to Observe Neighborhoods at High Spatial Resolution
Systematic social observation (SSO) methods traditionally measure neighborhoods at street level and have been performed reliably using virtual applications to increase feasibility. Research indicates that collection at even higher spatial resolution may better elucidate the health impact of neighborhood factors, but whether virtual applications can reliably capture social determinants of health at the smallest geographic resolution (parcel level) remains uncertain. This paper presents a novel, parcel-level SSO methodology and assesses whether this new method can be collected reliably using Google Street View and is feasible.The Social Determinants of Health Core: Taking a Place-Based Approach
There is growing recognition that health disparities research needs to incorporate social determinants in the local environment into explanatory models. In the transdisciplinary setting of the Mid-South Transdisciplinary Collaborative Center (TCC), the Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Core developed an approach to incorporating SDH across a variety of studies. This place-based approach, which is geographically based, transdisciplinary, and inherently multilevel, is discussed.Street Connectivity and Obesity Risk: Evidence From Electronic Health Records
This study aimed to determine the feasibility of using electronic health record (EHR) data from a federally qualified health center (FQHC) to assess the association between street connectivity, a measure of walkability for the local environment, and BMI obtained from EHRs.Built Environment and Depression in Low-Income African Americans and Whites
Urban environments are associated with a higher risk of adverse mental health outcomes; however, it is unclear which specific components of the urban environment drive these associations.Spatial Patterns and Neighborhood Characteristics of Overall Suicide Clusters in Florida From 2001 to 2010
Although spatial examination of mortality and morbidity is becoming more common in health studies, the investigation of suicide death clusters within the neighborhood context is underutilized. The purpose of this ecological study is to detect high- and low-risk clusters of suicide deaths in Florida and determine which neighborhood characteristics distinguish clusters from non-clusters.Adult BMI and Access to Built Environment Resources in a High-Poverty, Urban Geography
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between BMI and access to built environment resources in a high-poverty, urban geography.The First National Study of Neighborhood Parks: Implications for Physical Activity
An extensive infrastructure of neighborhood parks supports leisure time physical activity in most U.S. cities; yet, most Americans do not meet national guidelines for physical activity. Neighborhood parks have never been assessed nationally to identify their role in physical activity.Neighborhood Walkability and Adiposity in the Women’s Health Initiative Cohort
Neighborhood environments may play a role in the rising prevalence of obesity among older adults. However, research on built environmental correlates of obesity in this age group is limited. The current study aimed to explore associations of Walk Score, a validated measure of neighborhood walkability, with BMI and waist circumference in a large, diverse sample of older women.Perceived Neighborhood Environment and Physical Activity: The International Physical Activity and Environment Network Adult Study in Mexico
There is compelling evidence linking physical activity with environmental characteristics in high-income countries, but evidence among low- and middle-income countries is scarce and results are inconsistent. This study assessed associations between perceived measures of the built environment and objectively measured physical activity among Mexican adults.Obesogenic Retail Food Environments Around New Zealand Schools: A National Study
This is the first nationwide spatial analysis of retail food environments around more and less socioeconomically deprived schools in New Zealand.Neighborhood Greenness and Chronic Health Conditions in Medicare Beneficiaries
Prior studies suggest that exposure to the natural environment may impact health. The present study examines the association between objective measures of block-level greenness (vegetative presence) and chronic medical conditions, including cardiometabolic conditions, in a large population-based sample of Medicare beneficiaries in Miami-Dade County, Florida.Education and the Relationship Between Supermarket Environment and Diet
Supermarkets are a major source of food for many families. Knowledge of how educational attainment affects the relationship between in-store environments of supermarkets and diet is needed. This study examined the relationship between maternal dietary quality and overall in-store supermarket environment, and assessed the effect modification of educational attainment.The Toxic Food Environment Around Elementary Schools and Childhood Obesity in Mexican Cities
The childhood obesity epidemic is a global concern. There is limited evidence in Mexico linking the local food environment to obesity. The purpose of this study is to describe the links between the local food environment around elementary schools and schoolchildren’s BMI in two Mexican cities.Obesity-Related Policy/Environmental Interventions: A Systematic Review of Economic Analyses
Policy and environmental changes to support and encourage individual-level nutrition and physical activity behavior are underway in many parts of the U.S. and around the world at national, state, and local levels. Yet, to the authors’ knowledge, no summary of the cost-benefit or cost-effectiveness studies of obesity-related policy/environmental interventions exists.Urban Vegetative Cover Fragmentation in the U.S.: Associations With Physical Activity and BMI
Urban vegetative cover provides a range of ecosystem services including contributions to human health and well-being. Urbanization exerts tremendous pressure on this natural resource, causing fragmentation and loss of urban greenspace. This study aimed to examine associations between vegetative cover fragmentation and physical activity and BMI at the county scale in the U.S. metropolitan statistical areas greater than 1 million in population.Impact of New Transport Infrastructure on Walking, Cycling, and Physical Activity
Walking and cycling bring health and environmental benefits, but there is little robust evidence that changing the built environment promotes these activities in populations. This study evaluated the effects of new transport infrastructure on active commuting and physical activity.Using GPS Data to Study Neighborhood Walkability and Physical Activity
Urban form characteristics intended to support pedestrian activity, collectively referred to as neighborhood walkability, are thought to increase total physical activity. However, little is known about how neighborhood walkability influences utilization of neighborhood space by residents and their overall physical activity.Neighborhood Factors and Dating Violence Among Youth: A Systematic Review
The purpose of this review is to summarize the empirical research on neighborhood-level factors and dating violence among adolescents and emerging adults to guide future research and practice.The Synergy of Family and Neighborhood on Rural Dating Violence Victimization
Rural adolescents are at high risk for dating violence victimization (DVV), which has serious negative consequences. Understanding more about the conditions that increase DVV risk for rural adolescents is needed to inform prevention efforts. In response to calls for examining the influence of upper levels of the social ecology on adolescent dating violence, this study examined whether associations between the family context and physical DVV were conditioned by the characteristics of the neighborhoods in which the family resided.Patterns of Walkability, Transit, and Recreation Environment for Physical Activity
Diverse combinations of built environment (BE) features for physical activity (PA) are understudied. This study explored whether patterns of GIS-derived BE features explained objective and self-reported PA, sedentary behavior, and BMI.The Added Benefit of Bicycle Commuting on the Regular Amount of Physical Activity Performed
Physical inactivity is a leading cause of death and disability globally. Active transportation such as bicycling may increase physical activity levels. It is currently uncertain whether a shift from motorized transport modes to bicycle commuting leads to increased physical activity overall or substitutes other forms of physical activity. The study aims to disentangle whether bicycle commuting adds to or replaces other physical activities by comparing the physical activity performed by bicycle and motorized commuters.Urban Neighborhood Features and Longitudinal Weight Development in Girls
The literature on environment and obesity is characterized by studies that are often cross-sectional and lack racial diversity. This study examined associations between neighborhood features and BMI development over 6 years in an urban sample of 2,295 girls (56% African American; mean age at baseline, 11.2 years) in 2004. Analyses were conducted in 2011–2015.Patterns of Physical Activity Among Older Adults in New York City: A Latent Class Approach
Little research to date has explored typologies of physical activity among older adults. An understanding of physical activity patterns may help to both determine the health benefits of different types of activity and target interventions to increase activity levels in older adults. This analysis, conducted in 2014, used a latent class analysis approach to characterize patterns of physical activity in a cohort of older adults.Change in Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and Weight Gain: Dallas Heart Study
Despite a proposed connection between neighborhood environment and obesity, few longitudinal studies have examined the relationship between change in neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation, as defined by moving between neighborhoods, and change in body weight. The purpose of this study is to examine the longitudinal relationship between moving to more socioeconomically deprived neighborhoods and weight gain as a cardiovascular risk factor.Physical Activity and Food Environment Assessments: Implications for Practice
There is growing interest in the use of physical activity and nutrition environmental measures by both researchers and practitioners. Built environment assessment methods and tools range from simple to complex and encompass perceived, observed, and geographic data collection. Even though challenges in tool selection and use may exist for non-researchers, there are opportunities to incorporate these measures into practice. The aims of this paper are to (1) describe examples of built environment assessment methods and tools in the practice context; (2) present case studies that outline successful approaches for the use of built environment assessment tools and data among practitioners; and (3) make recommendations for both research and practice.Food and Physical Activity Environments: An Energy Balance Approach for Research and Practice
Increases in the prevalence of overweight and obesity are a function of chronic, population-level energy imbalance, whereby energy intakes exceed energy expenditures. Although sometimes viewed in isolation, energy intakes and expenditures in fact exist in a dynamic interplay: energy intakes may influence energy expenditures and vice versa. Obesogenic environments that promote positive energy balance play a central role in the obesity epidemic, and reducing obesity prevalence will require re-engineering environments to promote both healthy eating and physical activity.Built Environment Assessment and Interventions for Obesity Prevention: Moving the Field Forward
The Built Environment Assessment Training (BEAT) Institute ( www.med.upenn.edu/beat/ ) was developed to prepare and encourage investigators and practitioners to use observational and self-reported measures of nutrition and activity environments and related behavioral assessments. This focused training Institute integrated the disciplinary foci of nutrition, physical activity, obesity prevention, urban planning, and transportation.Passive Commuting and Dietary Intake in Fourth and Fifth Grade Students
Promoting active commuting by walking or biking to and from school could increase physical activity and reduce obesity among youth. However, exposure to the retail food environment while commuting may lead to greater dietary intake among active commuters.Worksite Neighborhood and Obesogenic Behaviors: Findings Among Employees in the Promoting Activity and Changes in Eating (PACE) Trial
Understanding mechanisms linking neighborhood context to health behaviors may provide targets for increasing lifestyle intervention effectiveness. Although associations between home neighborhood and obesogenic behaviors have been studied, less is known about the role of worksite neighborhood.Bicycling Policy Indirectly Associated with Overweight/Obesity
Policies to enhance bicycling are correlated with health outcomes. Research has yet to provide an adequate, empirically derived explanation for this finding.Distance to Store, Food Prices, and Obesity in Urban Food Deserts
Lack of access to healthy foods may explain why residents of low-income neighborhoods and African Americans in the U.S. have high rates of obesity. The findings on where people shop and how that may influence health are mixed. However, multiple policy initiatives are underway to increase access in communities that currently lack healthy options. Few studies have simultaneously measured obesity, distance, and prices of the store used for primary food shopping.Environments Perceived as Obesogenic Have Lower Residential Property Values
Studies have tried to link obesity rates and physical activity with multiple aspects of the built environment.Walking and Proximity to the Urban Growth Boundary and Central Business District
Planners have relied on the urban development boundary (UDB)/urban growth boundary (UGB) and central business district (CBD) to encourage contiguous urban development and conserve infrastructure. However, no studies have specifically examined the relationship between proximity to the UDB/UGB and CBD and walking behavior.Fast-Food Restaurants, Park Access, and Insulin Resistance Among Hispanic Youth
Evidence of associations between the built environment and obesity risk has been steadily building, yet few studies have focused on the relationship between the built environment and aspects of metabolism related to obesity’s most tightly linked comorbidity, type 2 diabetes.Dietary Assessment in Food Environment Research: A Systematic Review
The existing evidence on food environments and diet is inconsistent, potentially because of heterogeneity in measures used to assess diet. The objective of this review, conducted in 2012–2013, was to examine measures of dietary intake utilized in food environment research.Childhood Obesity Policy Research and Practice: Evidence for Policy and Environmental Strategies
Investigators developed a review system to evaluate the growing literature on policy and environmental strategies to prevent childhood obesity. More than 2000 documents published between January 2000 and May 2009 in the scientific and grey literature were identified (2008–2009) and systematically analyzed (2009–2012). These focused on policy or environmental strategies to reduce obesity/overweight, increase physical activity, and/or improve nutrition/diet among youth (aged 3–18 years). Guided by the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) framework, investigators abstracted studies of 24 intervention strategies and assessed evidence for their effectiveness (i.e., study design, intervention duration, and outcomes) and population impact (i.e., effectiveness and reach—participation or exposure, and representativeness) in 142 evaluation study groupings and 254 associational study groupings (n=396 groupings of 600 peer-reviewed studies).Physical Activity in Parks: A Randomized Controlled Trial Using Community Engagement
Physical inactivity is an important health risk factor that could be addressed at the community level.Smart Growth Community Design and Physical Activity in Children
Physical inactivity is a leading cause of death and disease globally. Research suggests physical inactivity might be linked to community designs that discourage active living. A “smart growth” community contains features likely to promote active living (walkability, green space, mixed land use), but objective evidence on the potential benefits of smart growth communities is limited.Walkability and Physical Activity: Findings from Curitiba, Brazil
Evidence from developing countries is limited on how income level for a given neighborhood is related to physical activity among its residents.Walk Score® and Transit Score® and Walking in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
Walk Score® and Transit Score® are open-source measures of the neighborhood built environment to support walking (“walkability”) and access to transportation.Walk Score®: Associations with Purposive Walking in Recent Cuban Immigrants
Walk Score® is a nationally and publicly available metric of neighborhood walkability based on proximity to amenities (e.g., retail, food, schools). However, few studies have examined the relationship of Walk Score to walking behavior.What’s Your Walk Score®?: Web-Based Neighborhood Walkability Assessment for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
The assessment of neighborhood built environments, especially neighborhood walkability (a measure of how friendly a neighborhood is to walking), has been a recent focus of public health research and practice.1 Although there are a variety of web-based tools that can evaluate neighborhood walkability, in the 21st century, none has arguably received as much attention as Walk Score® ( www.walkscore.com ). In brief, Walk Score permits users to assess the walkability (a novel index based on distance to various amenities including parks and stores) of their specific street address, broader neighborhood, and overall city.The Role of Physicians in Promoting Healthier Built Environments
The normal physician treats the problem; the good physician treats the person; the best physician treats the community. —Chinese proverbNeighborhood Walkability: Field Validation of Geographic Information System Measures
Given the health benefits of walking, there is interest in understanding how physical environments favor walking. Although GIS-derived measures of land-use mix, street connectivity, and residential density are commonly combined into indices to assess how conducive neighborhoods are to walking, field validation of these measures is limited.Public Health and the Green Building Industry: Partnership Opportunities for Childhood Obesity Prevention
Improving the design of the built environment to promote health and well-being is an emerging priority within public health, particularly as a component of efforts to address the ongoing epidemic of childhood obesity.1–4 Research suggests that environmental design at multiple spatial scales, ranging from regional land use and transportation planning,5 to accessibility of public transit,6 to building characteristics such as stair placement,7,8 and even the design of food trays9 in contexts such as school cafeterias, can influence dietary choices and physical activity.The Stanford Healthy Neighborhood Discovery Tool: A Computerized Tool to Assess Active Living Environments
The built environment can influence physical activity, particularly among older populations with impaired mobility. Existing tools to assess environmental features associated with walkability are often cumbersome, require extensive training, and are not readily available for use by community residents.Neighborhood Design for Walking and Biking: Physical Activity and Body Mass Index
Neighborhood designs often relate to physical activity and to BMI.The Relationship Between Trees and Human Health: Evidence from the Spread of the Emerald Ash Borer
Several recent studies have identified a relationship between the natural environment and improved health outcomes. However, for practical reasons, most have been observational, cross-sectional studies.Bicycling and Walking for Transportation in Three Brazilian Cities
Physical inactivity plays a role in the acquisition of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and breast and colon cancer. The impact of such noncommunicable diseases on low- and middle-income countries is a major global health concern, but most studies in this area have focused on high-income countries. A better understanding of the factors that may influence physical activity in low- and middle-income countries is needed.Walkable Communities and Adolescent Weight
Neighborhood design features have been associated with health outcomes, including the prevalence of obesity.Estimated Energy Expenditures for School-Based Policies and Active Living
Despite overwhelming evidence of the health benefits of physical activity, most American youth are not meeting the 60 minutes per day recommendation for moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA). Policy changes have the potential to bring about substantial increases in physical activity in youth, within school and community settings.Evaluation of Physical Projects and Policies from the Active Living by Design Partnerships
Between 2003 and 2008, a total of 25 partnerships funded through the Active Living by Design (ALbD) program worked to change built environments and policies in communities to help citizens be active in their daily routines.Active Living by Design Sustainability Strategies
Despite substantial increases in improving the translation of health promotion research into practice, community initiatives still struggle with maintaining changes once grant funding has ended. Researchers, funders, and community practitioners are interested in practices that maintain and sustain their efforts.Isanti County Active Living: Measuring Change in Perception and Behavior
In 2003, Isanti County MN received an Active Living by Design grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to increase physical activity through environmental changes.Evaluation Results from an Active Living Intervention in Somerville, Massachusetts
Community policies and programs can encourage active living and promote physical activity among residents. Somerville MA implemented an Active Living by Design project in 2003–2008 that promoted partnerships and advocacy to encourage physical activity.Using a Bicycle–Pedestrian Count to Assess Active Living in Downtown Wilkes-Barre
Downtown Wilkes-Barre, a town of 40,000 residents in Northeast Pennsylvania, and the hub of a planned urban, suburban, and rural trail network, was the site of a number of changes to improve walkability during the Active Living by Design (ALbD) grant period.Bike, Walk, and Wheel: A Way of Life in Columbia, Missouri, Revisited
In 2003, Columbia MO was the recipient of a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Active Living by Design (ALbD) grant to foster active living in the community through behavioral (social marketing, education) and environmental change (improved street design standards, sidewalks around schools, activity-friendly infrastructure) strategies.Evaluation of Active Living by Design: Implementation Patterns Across Communities
Twenty-five cross-sector, multidisciplinary community partnerships received funding through the Active Living by Design (ALbD) national program to design, plan, and implement innovative initiatives to support active living.Capturing Community Change: Active Living by Design's Progress Reporting System
The Active Living by Design (ALbD) National Program Office (NPO) developed an evaluation system to track progress of 25 community partnerships, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). Between June 2004 and October 2008, partnerships documented their actions and accomplishments through ALbD's online Progress Reporting System (PRS) database. All entries were verified and analyzed by the NPO. Results from the PRS suggest that the ALbD partnerships were successful fundraisers, leveraging $256 million from grants, policy decisions, in-kind and direct sources.Active Living by Design's Contributions to the Movement
In the summer of 2002, we each agreed to serve as members of the first National Advisory Committee (NAC) for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's (RWJF's) Active Living by Design (ALbD) program. Two of us were serving as presidents of national nonprofits and one as president of a national consultancy. In diverse ways, we were each addressing elements of the ALbD mission in our day jobs. In this brief commentary reflecting on 9 years of activity, we note a few key successes, a few areas of challenge, and opportunity for further development and provide a summary pointing to the ever-progressing, but clearly unfinished, story of the national movement for healthy people in healthy places.Family Structure and Park Use Among Parents
Despite the increasingly diversified family structure in the U.S., little research examines differences in park use between nontraditional and traditional family structures.Body Mass Index, Safety Hazards, and Neighborhood Attractiveness
Neighborhood attractiveness and safety may encourage physical activity and help individuals maintain a healthy weight. However, these neighborhood characteristics may not be equally relevant to health across all settings and population subgroups.An Interactive Mapping Tool to Assess Individual Mobility Patterns in Neighborhood Studies
As their most critical limitation, neighborhood and health studies published to date have not taken into account nonresidential activity places where individuals travel in their daily lives. However, identifying low-mobility populations residing in low-resource environments, assessing cumulative environmental exposures over multiple activity places, and identifying specific activity locations for targeting interventions are important for health promotion. Daily mobility has not been given due consideration in part because of a lack of tools to collect locational information on activity spaces.Park Improvements and Park Activity: A Natural Experiment
Parks are an important setting for leisure-time physical activity. Understanding how to attract residents to parks and encourage park users to be physically active is an important public health initiative. Natural experiments are a research priority for investigating whether changes to the physical environment affect physical activity; however, natural experiments involving parks have rarely been conducted.Fast-Food Environments and Family Fast-Food Intake in Nonmetropolitan Areas
Little is known about the influence of in-town fast-food availability on family-level fast-food intake in nonmetropolitan areas.
