The effect of neighborhood walkability on changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior during a 12-week pedometer-facilitated intervention.
<h4>Background</h4>Pedometer-facilitated interventions encourage physical activity via the accumulation of steps. Mixed evidence suggests that neighborhood walkability might influence the effectiveness of physical activity interventions, including pedometer-facilitated interventions. Our...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2022-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0278596 |
| _version_ | 1797954014996856832 |
|---|---|
| author | Gavin R McCormack John C Spence Tara-Leigh McHugh W Kerry Mummery |
| author_facet | Gavin R McCormack John C Spence Tara-Leigh McHugh W Kerry Mummery |
| author_sort | Gavin R McCormack |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Background</h4>Pedometer-facilitated interventions encourage physical activity via the accumulation of steps. Mixed evidence suggests that neighborhood walkability might influence the effectiveness of physical activity interventions, including pedometer-facilitated interventions. Our study investigated the moderating effect of neighborhood walkability on immediate (4-week) and short-term (12-week) changes in self-reported neighborhood-specific leisure and transportation walking, leisure-based moderate and vigorous-intensity physical activity, and leisure-based screen time during a pedometer-facilitated intervention (UWALK).<h4>Methods</h4>This quasi-experiment undertaken in Calgary (Canada) compared behavior changes during the 12-week intervention between two neighborhood groups classified as 'walkable' or 'car dependent' based on Walk Score®. Of the 573 volunteers (adults in the contemplation and preparation stages of physical activity behavior change), 466 participated in UWALK. Surveys captured sociodemographic characteristics, perceived neighborhood walkability, neighborhood preferences, motivation, physical activity and screen-based leisure. Covariate-adjusted linear mixed models estimated the differences in physical activity and leisure screen time between the neighborhood walkability groups at baseline, 4-weeks, and 12-weeks.<h4>Results</h4>UWALK participants included mostly females (83%) and had an average age of 49.2 years. Weekly minutes of walking for transport inside the neighborhood was higher (p < .001) among participants from walkable versus car dependent neighborhoods at baseline (42.5 vs. 21.1), 4-weeks (81.2 vs. 48.2), and 12-weeks (87.2 vs. 48.0). Regardless of neighborhood walkability, all physical activity outcomes were higher and leisure screen time lower at 4-weeks and 12-weeks compared with baseline. We found no significant neighborhood group by time interactions.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Pedometer-facilitated interventions may be effective for supporting short-term changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior even among adults residing in low walkable neighborhoods. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:11:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5ab9e4d62e7e4b5c8a24eeae4112e01c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T23:11:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-5ab9e4d62e7e4b5c8a24eeae4112e01c2023-01-13T05:31:41ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-011712e027859610.1371/journal.pone.0278596The effect of neighborhood walkability on changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior during a 12-week pedometer-facilitated intervention.Gavin R McCormackJohn C SpenceTara-Leigh McHughW Kerry Mummery<h4>Background</h4>Pedometer-facilitated interventions encourage physical activity via the accumulation of steps. Mixed evidence suggests that neighborhood walkability might influence the effectiveness of physical activity interventions, including pedometer-facilitated interventions. Our study investigated the moderating effect of neighborhood walkability on immediate (4-week) and short-term (12-week) changes in self-reported neighborhood-specific leisure and transportation walking, leisure-based moderate and vigorous-intensity physical activity, and leisure-based screen time during a pedometer-facilitated intervention (UWALK).<h4>Methods</h4>This quasi-experiment undertaken in Calgary (Canada) compared behavior changes during the 12-week intervention between two neighborhood groups classified as 'walkable' or 'car dependent' based on Walk Score®. Of the 573 volunteers (adults in the contemplation and preparation stages of physical activity behavior change), 466 participated in UWALK. Surveys captured sociodemographic characteristics, perceived neighborhood walkability, neighborhood preferences, motivation, physical activity and screen-based leisure. Covariate-adjusted linear mixed models estimated the differences in physical activity and leisure screen time between the neighborhood walkability groups at baseline, 4-weeks, and 12-weeks.<h4>Results</h4>UWALK participants included mostly females (83%) and had an average age of 49.2 years. Weekly minutes of walking for transport inside the neighborhood was higher (p < .001) among participants from walkable versus car dependent neighborhoods at baseline (42.5 vs. 21.1), 4-weeks (81.2 vs. 48.2), and 12-weeks (87.2 vs. 48.0). Regardless of neighborhood walkability, all physical activity outcomes were higher and leisure screen time lower at 4-weeks and 12-weeks compared with baseline. We found no significant neighborhood group by time interactions.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Pedometer-facilitated interventions may be effective for supporting short-term changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior even among adults residing in low walkable neighborhoods.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0278596 |
| spellingShingle | Gavin R McCormack John C Spence Tara-Leigh McHugh W Kerry Mummery The effect of neighborhood walkability on changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior during a 12-week pedometer-facilitated intervention. PLoS ONE |
| title | The effect of neighborhood walkability on changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior during a 12-week pedometer-facilitated intervention. |
| title_full | The effect of neighborhood walkability on changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior during a 12-week pedometer-facilitated intervention. |
| title_fullStr | The effect of neighborhood walkability on changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior during a 12-week pedometer-facilitated intervention. |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effect of neighborhood walkability on changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior during a 12-week pedometer-facilitated intervention. |
| title_short | The effect of neighborhood walkability on changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior during a 12-week pedometer-facilitated intervention. |
| title_sort | effect of neighborhood walkability on changes in physical activity and sedentary behavior during a 12 week pedometer facilitated intervention |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0278596 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gavinrmccormack theeffectofneighborhoodwalkabilityonchangesinphysicalactivityandsedentarybehaviorduringa12weekpedometerfacilitatedintervention AT johncspence theeffectofneighborhoodwalkabilityonchangesinphysicalactivityandsedentarybehaviorduringa12weekpedometerfacilitatedintervention AT taraleighmchugh theeffectofneighborhoodwalkabilityonchangesinphysicalactivityandsedentarybehaviorduringa12weekpedometerfacilitatedintervention AT wkerrymummery theeffectofneighborhoodwalkabilityonchangesinphysicalactivityandsedentarybehaviorduringa12weekpedometerfacilitatedintervention AT gavinrmccormack effectofneighborhoodwalkabilityonchangesinphysicalactivityandsedentarybehaviorduringa12weekpedometerfacilitatedintervention AT johncspence effectofneighborhoodwalkabilityonchangesinphysicalactivityandsedentarybehaviorduringa12weekpedometerfacilitatedintervention AT taraleighmchugh effectofneighborhoodwalkabilityonchangesinphysicalactivityandsedentarybehaviorduringa12weekpedometerfacilitatedintervention AT wkerrymummery effectofneighborhoodwalkabilityonchangesinphysicalactivityandsedentarybehaviorduringa12weekpedometerfacilitatedintervention |