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Abstract
Studies of the built environment and physical activity (PA) have primarily been cross-sectional.
Evidence on the causal impacts of transportation improvements on PA and sedentary
behavior (SB) is lacking. This study assessed the effect of retrofitting an urban
greenway on PA and SB in Vancouver, Canada. A sample of 524 participants (median age
of 44; 57% female) were divided into experimental and control groups, and the effect
of exposure to the greenway was examined by using different distance thresholds. Self-report
measures of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and SB were collected using the International
Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF) before (baseline; 2012-2013) and after (follow-up;
2014-2015) construction of the Comox-Helmcken Greenway in 2013. Mixed-effects models
estimated the impacts of greenway on MVPA and SB. For participants living near the
greenway (≤300 m), the odds of achieving an average of 20 min of daily MVPA doubled
(OR = 2.00; 95% CI = 1.00, 3.98) after the greenway's opening. The odds of being sedentary
for >9 h declined by 54% (OR = 0.46; 95% CI = 0.25, 0.85) after opening. PA benefits
from the greenway declined with distance from 100 m to 500 m. Reduction in SB was
lowest at 100 m and greatest at 300 m. Retrofitting an urban residential neighborhood
through greenway interventions can be successful in promoting physical activity while
reducing sedentary behavior. Recommendations for future longitudinal research include
the use of objective PA measures, studying different neighborhood contexts, collecting
more representative samples, and minimizing attrition.