Association between leisure-time physical activity and the built environment in China: Empirical evidence from an accelerometer and GPS-based fitness app.

Long Chen,Zhaoxi Zhang,Ying Long,Shihe Fu

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0260570

Long Chen, Zhaoxi Zhang + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260570

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Journal: PloS one	Publication Date: Dec 31, 2021
Citations: 11	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Aarhus University, Tsinghua University

Abstract

To reexamine the relationship between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and the built environment (BE), this paper takes advantage of the massive amount of data collected by an accelerometer and GPS-based fitness mobile app. Massive LTPA data from more than 3 million users were recorded by Codoon in 500m by 500m grid cells and aggregated to 742 natural cities in mainland China. Six BE indicators were quantified using GIS at the city scale. Robust regression analysis was used to estimate the correlation between LTPA and BE. Five of six BE indicators—connectivity, road density, land use mix, points of interest density, and density of parks and squares—were significantly, positively, independently, and linearly related to LTPA in the regression analysis. The study obtains findings that are consistent with the previous literature but also provides novel insights into the important role of POI density in encouraging LTPA, as well as how the relationship between LTPA and BE varies by time of day. The study also sheds light on the embrace of new technology and new data in public health and urban studies.

Highlights

The pandemic of physical inactivity has become a global issue
We identified a few studies in the literature that have examined these correlations, such has how points of interest (POI) density increases urban vibrancy, and in turn attracts outdoor activities in general [25, 26], and how urban street [27, 28] and parks [29, 30] act as the primary venues for the leisure-time physical activity (LTPA)
Population density is the only variable that presents negative but significant coefficients in all models, indicating that cities with higher population density are associated with a lower frequency of LTPA per capita recorded by the Codoon app

Summary

Introduction

The WHO recommends engaging in physical activity (PA) as an important, modifiable behavior for preventing noncommunicable chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, and for promoting public health. While many studies have explored ways to encourage PA through education [1], social support [2], and health promotion strategies [3], an increasing number of studies in both urban planning and public health have begun to examine the socioecological context of PA, suggesting that the environment in which PA takes place should be considered. The accumulation of evidence demonstrates that people who live in walkable neighborhoods, which are characterized by higher population density, a mix of different urban functions, interconnected street networks, and access to shops and services, public transport, parks and recreational facilities, tend to be more physically active [4,5,6].

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