Physical inactivity is one of the most important public health issues in the U.S.
and internationally. Increasingly, links are being identified between various elements
of the physical-or built-environment and physical activity. To understand the impact
of the built environment on physical activity, the development of high-quality measures
is essential. Three categories of built environment data are being used: (1) perceived
measures obtained by telephone interview or self-administered questionnaires; (2)
observational measures obtained using systematic observational methods (audits); and
(3) archival data sets that are often layered and analyzed with GIS. This review provides
a critical assessment of these three types of built-environment measures relevant
to the study of physical activity. Among perceived measures, 19 questionnaires were
reviewed, ranging in length from 7 to 68 questions. Twenty audit tools were reviewed
that cover community environments (i.e., neighborhoods, cities), parks, and trails.
For GIS-derived measures, more than 50 studies were reviewed. A large degree of variability
was found in the operationalization of common GIS measures, which include population
density, land-use mix, access to recreational facilities, and street pattern. This
first comprehensive examination of built-environment measures demonstrates considerable
progress over the past decade, showing diverse environmental variables available that
use multiple modes of assessment. Most can be considered first-generation measures,
so further development is needed. In particular, further research is needed to improve
the technical quality of measures, understand the relevance to various population
groups, and understand the utility of measures for science and public health.