Relationship between the objectively-assessed neighborhood area and activity behavior in Swiss youth

Bettina Bringolf-Isler; Susi Kriemler; Urs Mäder; Alain Dössegger; Heidi Hofmann; Jardena J Puder; Charlotte Braun-Fahrländer

doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2014.09.001

Relationship between the objectively-assessed neighborhood area and activity behavior in Swiss youth

Prev Med Rep. 2014 Sep 17:1:14-20. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2014.09.001. eCollection 2014.

Authors

Bettina Bringolf-Isler¹, Susi Kriemler², Urs Mäder³, Alain Dössegger³, Heidi Hofmann⁴, Jardena J Puder⁵, Charlotte Braun-Fahrländer¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss TPH, Socinstrasse 57, P.O. Box, 4002 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4003 Basel, Switzerland.
² Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss TPH, Socinstrasse 57, P.O. Box, 4002 Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, 4003 Basel, Switzerland; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland.
³ Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen (SFISM), Hauptstrasse 247, 2532 Magglingen, Switzerland.
⁴ Center for Development and Environment, University of Bern, 1, Schanzenstrasse 1, 3001 Bern, Switzerland.
⁵ Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University of Lausanne, ChUV, Rue du Bugnon 46, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.

Abstract

Background: Neighborhood attributes are modifiable determinants of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB). We tested whether the objectively-assessed built and social environment was associated with PA and SB in Swiss youth and whether sex, age and the socioeconomic position (Swiss-SEP) modified such associations.

Methods: We combined data of 1742 youth (ages 4 to 17) from seven studies conducted within Switzerland between 2005-2010. All youth provided accelerometer data and a home address, which was linked to objective environmental data and the Swiss-SEP-index. Associations between neighborhood attributes and PA were analyzed by multivariable multilevel regression analyses.

Results: The extent of green areas and building density was positively associated with PA in the total sample (p < 0.05). Factors representing centrally located areas, and more schoolchildren living nearby tended to increase PA in secondary schoolchildren, boys and those from lower-ranked socioeconomic areas. In primary schoolchildren, the extent of green areas was positively associated with PA (p = 0.05). Associations between neighborhood attributes and PA were more pronounced in youth from low socioeconomic areas.

Conclusions: The results indicate that some associations between neighborhood attributes and PA differ by age, sex and socioeconomic area. This should be taken into account when planning interventions to increase childhood PA.

Keywords: Accelerometer; BMI, body mass index; IPEN, International Physical Activity and Environment Network; MVPA, moderate to vigorous physical activity; Neighborhood; PA, physical activity; Physical activity; SB, sedentary behavior; SES, socioeconomic status; Sedentary behavior; Socioeconomic environment; Swiss SEP, Swiss neighborhood index of socioeconomic position; TPA, total physical activity; Youth; cpm, counts per minute; ha, hectare.