Cardiorespiratory fitness and proximity to commercial physical activity facilities among 12th grade girls.

Abstract

To investigate the relationship between proximity to commercial physical activity (PA) facilities and cardiorespiratory fitness of 12th grade girls. Adolescent girls (n = 786, 60% African American, mean age = 17.6 ± .6 years) performed a submaximal fitness test (Physical Work Capacity 170 test). Commercial PA facilities were mapped and counted within a .75-mile street-network buffer around girls' homes using Geographic Information Systems. Sedentary activities and vigorous physical activity (≥6 metabolic equivalents) were determined by the average number of 30-minute blocks reported per day on the 3-Day Physical Activity Recall. Mixed model regressions were calculated using school as a random variable. Girls had higher weight-relative Physical Work Capacity 170 test scores if there was a commercial PA facility (n = 186, 12.4 ± 4.2 kg m/min/kg) within a .75-mile street-network buffer of home as compared with girls without a nearby facility (n = 600, 11.2 ± 3.6 kg m/min/kg). After adjusting for demographic variables, sports participation, sedentary behaviors, and vigorous physical activity, having one or more commercial PA facilities within a .75-mile street-network buffer of homes was significantly related to cardiorespiratory fitness. Both with and without adjustment for covariates, the presence of a commercial PA facility within a .75-mile street-network buffer of a girl's home was associated with higher cardiorespiratory fitness.