Abstract
Background: This study aims to examine the longitudinal association of neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation (SED) with physical activity in youth during the transition from elementary to middle school, and to determine if access to physical activity facilities moderates this relationship. Methods: Data were obtained from the Transitions and Activity Changes in Kids (TRACK) study, which was a multilevel, longitudinal study designed to identify the factors that influence changes in physical activity as youth transition from elementary to middle school. The analytic sample for the current study included 660 youth with complete data in grades 5 (baseline) and 7 (follow-up). A repeated measures multilevel framework was employed to examine the relationship between SED and physical activity over time and the potential moderating role of elements of the built environment. Results: Decreases in physical activity varied by the degree of neighborhood SED with youth residing in the most deprived neighborhoods experiencing the greatest declines in physical activity. Access to supportive physical activity facilities did not moderate this relationship. Conclusion: Future research studies are needed to better understand how neighborhood SED influences youth physical activity over time.
Highlights
Physical activity declines precipitously during the transition from childhood to adolescence [1].According to the most recent nationally representative data, the percentage of youth meeting the daily60 min recommendation drops from 42% of children (6 to 11 years old) to 8% percent of adolescents (12 to 18 years old) [1]
The results indicate that changes in physical activity from the 5th grade to the 7th grade varied significantly by neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation (SED) quartile
Our findings indicate that the relationship between neighborhood SED and physical activity as youth transition from elementary to middle school did not differ by the presence of supportive physical activity facilities
Summary
Physical activity declines precipitously during the transition from childhood to adolescence [1].According to the most recent nationally representative data, the percentage of youth meeting the daily60 min recommendation drops from 42% of children (6 to 11 years old) to 8% percent of adolescents (12 to 18 years old) [1]. Physical activity declines precipitously during the transition from childhood to adolescence [1]. Declines in physical activity are observed across all intensity levels and have been attributed to several individual- and environmental-level factors [2,3]. Previous research has identified numerous individual-level determinants and correlates of physical activity (e.g., age, sex, ethnicity, family income, and time spent outdoors) [4,5,6,7,8], evidence suggests that upstream environmental factors become increasingly influential during adolescence as youth gain independence and responsibility [9,10,11,12]. This study aims to examine the longitudinal association of neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation (SED) with physical activity in youth during the transition from elementary to middle school, and to determine if access to physical activity facilities moderates this relationship
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