Neighborhood Built and Social Environment Influences on Lifestyle Behaviors among College Students in a High-Density City: A Photovoice Study

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 9;19(24):16558. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192416558.

Abstract

Based on the social ecological approach, a photovoice study was conducted to explore how neighborhood built and social environments facilitate or hinder college students' lifestyle behaviors, including physical activity, active transportation, and dietary behavior. A total of 37 college students took photos about neighborhood built and social environments that may affect their physical activity, dietary behavior, and active transportation, and shared their perceptions about how neighborhood built and social environments influence their lifestyle behaviors. Our findings demonstrated that the availability and accessibility of services, school facilities, and home facilities affected physical activity and dietary behaviors among college students. Moreover, the well-developed transportation facilities and networks benefit college students' active transportation. Environments-based interventions are recommended in future research to better understand the associations between neighborhood built and social environments and lifestyle behaviors in college students.

Keywords: active transportation; eating habits; photovoice; physical activity; physical environment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Environment Design
  • Exercise*
  • Humans
  • Life Style
  • Residence Characteristics
  • Schools
  • Social Environment*
  • Students
  • Transportation
  • Walking

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Faculty Research Grant, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong [No. FRG1/17-18/031].