How Are Physical Activity Behaviors and Cardiovascular Risk Factors Associated with Characteristics of the Built and Social Residential Environment?

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Abstract

Background

The aim of our study was to identify perceptions of built and social residential characteristics and their association with behaviors such as physical activity (PA), nutrition and smoking and with cardiovascular risk factors (elevated BMI and fasting blood glucose).

Methods

Among participants of a preventive medical checkup at an Austrian District Health Insurance Fund (n=904, response rate = 82.2%, 42% women, 18-91 years) self-reported and measured data were collected.

Results

Total PA was positively associated with the presence of trees along the streets and high levels of pro-physical activity social modeling (SM) and it was negatively related to perceived safety from crime. More leisure-time PA was associated with higher levels of cycling/walking infrastructure and high levels of SM. PA for transportation was positively related to high levels of connectivity and high levels of SM. Better behavioral cardiovascular risk factor profiles (smoking and nutrition) were associated with high levels of SM and high levels of total PA. Lower BMI values were associated with high levels of infrastructure and high levels of SM.

Conclusions

Both built and social residential characteristics are important correlates of PA as well as of major cardiovascular risk factors besides PA.

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Most cited references 27

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Health benefits of cycling: a systematic review.

P Oja, S Titze, A. Bauman … (2011)

The purpose of this study was to update the evidence on the health benefits of cycling. A systematic review of the literature resulted in 16 cycling-specific studies. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies showed a clear positive relationship between cycling and cardiorespiratory fitness in youths. Prospective observational studies demonstrated a strong inverse relationship between commuter cycling and all-cause mortality, cancer mortality, and cancer morbidity among middle-aged to elderly subjects. Intervention studies among working-age adults indicated consistent improvements in cardiovascular fitness and some improvements in cardiovascular risk factors due to commuting cycling. Six studies showed a consistent positive dose-response gradient between the amount of cycling and the health benefits. Systematic assessment of the quality of the studies showed most of them to be of moderate to high quality. According to standard criteria used primarily for the assessment of clinical studies, the strength of this evidence was strong for fitness benefits, moderate for benefits in cardiovascular risk factors, and inconclusive for all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality, cancer risk, and overweight and obesity. While more intervention research is needed to build a solid knowledge base of the health benefits of cycling, the existing evidence reinforces the current efforts to promote cycling as an important contributor for better population health. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

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The burden of cardiovascular disease in the elderly: morbidity, mortality, and costs.

Ali Yazdanyar, Anne Newman (2009)

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in older Americans imposes a huge burden in mortality, morbidity, disability, functional decline, and health care costs. In light of the projected growth of the population of older adults over the next several decades, the societal burden attributable to CVD will continue to rise. There is thus an enormous opportunity to foster successful aging and to increase functional life years through expanded efforts aimed at CVD prevention. This article provides an overview of the epidemiology of CVD in older adults, including an assessment of the impact of CVD on mortality, morbidity, and health care costs.

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Socioeconomic status differences in recreational physical activity levels and real and perceived access to a supportive physical environment.

B Giles-Corti (2002)

Spatial access to recreational facilities and perceptions of the neighborhood environment and physical activity levels were examined by the socioeconomic status of area of residence (SES). A cross-sectional survey of adults (18-59 years) (n = 1,803) stratified by SES using a geographic-based index was conducted. Respondents in low SES areas had superior spatial access to many recreational facilities, but were less likely to use them compared with those living in high SES areas. They were more likely to perceive that they had access to sidewalks and shops, but also perceived that their neighborhood was busier with traffic, less attractive, and less supportive of walking. After adjustment, respondents living in low SES areas were 36% less likely to undertake vigorous activity. While they were more likely to walk for transport, this was not statistically significant (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 0.98-1.64), nor were other SES differences in walking for recreation and walking as recommended. Modifiable environmental factors were associated with walking and vigorous activity, especially perceived access to sidewalks and neighborhood attractiveness. Spatial access to attractive, public open space was associated with walking. Creating supportive environments--particularly sidewalks in attractive neighborhoods--has the potential to increase walking and vigorous activity.

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Author and article information

Contributors

Noel Christopher Barengo: Role: Academic Editor

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): PLoS One

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): PLoS ONE

Journal ID (publisher-id): plos

Journal ID (pmc): plosone

Title: PLoS ONE

Publisher: Public Library of Science (San Francisco, CA USA )

ISSN (Electronic): 1932-6203

Publication date (Electronic): 2 June 2015

Publication date Collection: 2015

Volume: 10

Issue: 6

Electronic Location Identifier: e0126010

Affiliations

[1 ]Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, Universitätsstrasse 6, 8010, Graz, Austria

[2 ]Institute of Sport Science, University of Graz, Mozartgasse 14, 8010, Graz, Austria

[3 ]Styrian District Health Insurance Fund, Friedrichgasse 18, 8010, Graz, Austria

[4 ]Institute of Social Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Rooseveltplatz 3, 1090, Vienna, Austria

[5 ]Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, Universitätsstrasse 6, 8010, Graz, Austria

University of Tolima, COLOMBIA

Author notes

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Conceived and designed the experiments: ME ST WJS. Performed the experiments: BH ME. Analyzed the data: ME. Wrote the paper: ME ST BH TED WJS.

* E-mail: michael.e.eichinger@ 123456gmail.com

Article

Publisher ID: PONE-D-14-05896

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126010

PMC ID: 4452766

PubMed ID: 26035294

SO-VID: 5e8e8c4c-ff38-42dd-8571-f60fa19cc424

License:

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

History

Date received : 12 February 2014

Date accepted : 27 March 2015

Page count

Figures: 0, Tables: 5, Pages: 15

Funding

Funding for this study was provided by the Medical University of Graz through an advancement scholarship awarded to ME. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

How Are Physical Activity Behaviors and Cardiovascular Risk Factors Associated with Characteristics of the Built and Social Residential Environment?

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Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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Fandom activity

Most cited references 27

Health benefits of cycling: a systematic review.

The burden of cardiovascular disease in the elderly: morbidity, mortality, and costs.

Socioeconomic status differences in recreational physical activity levels and real and perceived access to a supportive physical environment.

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