Background
In recent years, physical inactivity has been recognized as a public health epidemic. Due to close linkages to obesity, diabetes, and coronary heart disease, inactivity has been targeted as a major public health challenge. An important facet of the concern regarding physical inactivity is the notion that activity levels might more effectively be impacted by interventions in the physical environment than by educational campaigns. Concurrent with this increased awareness has been the development of "new urbanism" or "neo-traditional" neighborhood design, an urban design movement that promotes the incorporation of front porches, sidewalks, and rear parking, as well as small lots, high density and mixed-use. Neotraditional design proponents claim that greater physical activity is among the likely benefits. And yet, there has been relatively little empirical research examining such claims.
Specific Aims
This research examines the effects of neighborhood design characteristics on the physical activity of residents. The study takes advantage of a rare real world intervention or "natural experiment." Specifically, this study examines levels of physical activity among a group of low-income, primarily African American Southern women and their children before and after they move from their original, primarily urban neighborhoods to one of two types of communities a) a "neotraditional" neighborhood or b) a conventional suburban neighborhood.
This research program proposes to answer:
1. Is there an effect of neighborhood physical design on physical activity?
2. If so, which aspects of neighborhood design are most salient?
3. What mediating variables play a role?
Methods
This study is a quasi-experimental, longitudinal (pre-move/post-move) investigation which follows 100 low income women and their children as they move from housing in urban areas to newly-constructed homes in neotraditional communities (the experimental group) or typical suburban neighborhoods (the control group). Independent variables include physical characteristics of the neighborhoods such as the presence and condition of sidewalks, the prevalence of front porches, the width of streets, lot sizes, and setback distances. Dependent variable measures focus on residents' levels of physical activity prior to and following relocation
Preliminary Results:
Preliminary pre-move cross-sectional analyses indicate that a grid street network pattern is predictive of physical activity (steps per week, measured by pedometer), while other neighborhood features are not predictive. Specifically, people living in areas with more 4-way intersections and total length of streets within ¼ mile, walk more. In addition, the number of adults in the home is positively correlated with physical activity. Post-move cross-sectional comparisons indicate that women who relocate to neotraditional neighborhoods are not more active than those who move to suburban neighborhoods, however the latter group is more active even prior to relocation. In addition, longitudinal analyses suggest that women who relocate to a neotraditional neighborhood are not more physically active than they were prior to the relocation. After taking into account pre-move physical activity, significant predictors of postmove physical activity include neighborhood type (neotraditional v. suburban), household size, and body mass index (BMI). In this sample, residents of the suburban neighborhood walk more (before and after relocation). Individuals from larger households are more physically active, and people with higher BMI's are less active.
