A population-based study of the associations between neighbourhood walkability and different types of physical activity in Canadian men and women

Vikram Nichani,Jennifer E Vena,Christine M Friedenreich,Chelsea Christie,Gavin R Mccormack

doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.105864

Abstract

Few Canadian studies have examined whether or not associations between neighbourhood walkability and physical activity differ by sex. We estimated associations between perceived neighbourhood walkability and physical activity among Canadian men and women. This study included cross-sectional survey data from participants in ‘Alberta's Tomorrow Project’ (Canada; n = 14,078), a longitudinal cohort study. The survey included socio-demographic items as well as the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the abbreviated Neighbourhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS-A), which captured perceived neighbourhood built characteristics. We computed subscale and overall walkability scores from NEWS-A responses. Covariate-adjusted generalized linear models estimated the associations of participation (≥10 min/week) and minutes of different types of physical activity, including transportation walking (TW), leisure walking (LW), moderate-intensity physical activity (MPA), and vigorous-intensity physical activity (VPA) with walkability scores. Walkability was positively associated with participation in TW, LW, MPA and VPA and minutes of TW, LW, and VPA. Among men, a negative association was found between street connectivity and VPA participation. Additionally, crime safety was negatively associated with VPA minutes among men. Among women, pedestrian infrastructure was positively associated with LW participation and overall walkability was positively associated with VPA minutes. Notably, overall walkability was positively associated with LW participation among men and women. Different perceived neighbourhood walkability characteristics might be associated with participation and time spent in different types of physical activity among men and women living in Alberta. Interventions designed to modify perceptions of neighbourhood walkability might influence initiation or maintenance of different types of physical activity.

Highlights

Creating a supportive neighbourhood built environment may be one strategy for increasing physical activity at the population level
Our findings demonstrate that perceptions of different neighbourhood built characteristics are likely associated with participation and/or time spent in different types of physical activity
In support of previous studies (Jáuregui et al, 2016; Pelclová et al, 2014; Spence et al, 2006; Van Dyck et al, 2012; Van Dyck et al, 2013; Van Dyck et al, 2015) we found that some associations between perceived neighbourhood built characteristics and physical activity differ by sex

Summary

Introduction

Creating a supportive neighbourhood built environment may be one strategy for increasing physical activity at the population level. Walkable neighbourhoods are characterized by the presence of characteristics that support physical activity such as high residential density, mix and diversity of land uses and destinations, high street connectivity, pedestrian infrastructure, traffic and crime safety, and aesthetics (Cerin et al, 2014; Kerr et al, 2016). Farkas et al (2019) undertook a systematic review of 25 Canadian studies that had investigated relations between objectively-measured built environment and walking They found overall walkability and land use were consistently associated with transportation walking. Inconsistent evidence existed linking the built environment with leisure walking (Farkas et al, 2019)

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