Objectively measured physical environmental neighbourhood factors are not associated with accelerometer-determined total sedentary time in adults

Greet Cardon,Femke Van Nassau,Joreintje D. Mackenbach,Sofie Compernolle,Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij,Jeroen Lakerveld,Katrien De Cocker

doi:10.1186/s12966-017-0551-6

Abstract

BackgroundThe physical neighbourhood environment may influence adults’ sedentary behaviour. Yet, most studies examining the association between the physical neighbourhood environment and sedentary behaviour rely on self-reported data of either the physical neighbourhood environment and/or sedentary behaviour. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between objectively measured physical environmental neighbourhood factors and accelerometer-determined total sedentary time in adults.MethodsIn total, 219 Dutch and 128 Belgian adults (mean age ± SD: 55.8 ± 15.4 years) were recruited between March and August 2014 as part of the European SPOTLIGHT project. Physical environmental neighbourhood factors, grouped into eight domains, i.e. walking, cycling, public transport, aesthetics, land use mix, grocery stores, food outlets and recreational facilities, were assessed using the SPOTLIGHT Virtual Audit Tool. Sedentary time was collected using ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers. General linear mixed models were conducted to examine associations between physical environmental neighbourhood factors and total sedentary time.ResultsParticipants were sedentary, on average, for 542.9 min/day (SD: 84.3), or 9.1 h/day. None of the examined physical environmental neighbourhood factors were significantly related to total sedentary time.ConclusionsOur findings do not support associations of objectively measured physical environmental neighbourhood factors with adults’ objectively sedentary time in Dutch and Belgian adults. More research on sedentary behaviours in settings such as the home and work setting is needed to examine the influence of more specific physical environmental factors on these context-specific sedentary behaviours.

Highlights

The physical neighbourhood environment may influence adults’ sedentary behaviour
Social ecological models describe the potential role of physical environmental factors for sedentary behaviours [6]
This study concluded that only net residential density and public transit density were associated with sedentary behaviour [11]

Summary

Introduction

The physical neighbourhood environment may influence adults’ sedentary behaviour. Yet, most studies examining the association between the physical neighbourhood environment and sedentary behaviour rely on selfreported data of either the physical neighbourhood environment and/or sedentary behaviour. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between objectively measured physical environmental neighbourhood factors and accelerometer-determined total sedentary time in adults. Social ecological models describe the potential role of physical environmental factors for sedentary behaviours [6] These physical environmental factors can be classified into home and institutional environmental factors (e.g. factors in the work environment) and built and natural environmental factors (e.g. factors of the neighbourhood environment) [7]. Not included in the review of Koohsari et al, has recently examined the association between objectively measured macro-environmental neighbourhood factors, such as residential density, intersection density and entertainment density, and objectively measured sedentary behaviour [11]. All other studies to date, examined micro-scale environmental factors (i.e. regarding the streetscape) and relied on self-reported data of either the environmental attributes or sedentary time, which may be subject to recall and reporting bias [8, 12]

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