Association between daily physical activity and neighborhood environments

Table 1 Comparison of subjects’ neighborhood environments, characteristics, and physical activities between the Type A region and the Type B region

Characteristics of neighborhoods/subjects	Type A^a (n = 73)	Type B^a (n = 83)
Objective assessment of neighborhood environments using the GIS
Number of households (n)	1,039.7 ± 132.8	580.9 ± 236.1
Number of land use types (n)	22.2 ± 0.8	21.9 ± 1.9
Length of streets (m)	11,374.0 ± 1,073.0	6,416.6 ± 1,896.7*
Number of intersections (n)	54.3 ± 9.1	20.0 ± 10.1*
Length of sidewalks (m)	2,207.6 ± 1,155.6	2,573.4 ± 1,025.5*
Width of streets (m)	9.5 ± 1.8	12.8 ± 2.0*
Perception of neighborhood environments using the ANEWS
Residential density	225.1 ± 78.7	210.0 ± 43.2
Land use mix-diversity	3.7 ± 0.6	2.9 ± 0.8*
Land use mix-access	3.4 ± 0.5	3.0 ± 0.6*
Street connectivity	3.1 ± 0.8	2.6 ± 0.7*
Walking places	2.2 ± 0.8	2.5 ± 0.6*
Aesthetics	2.3 ± 0.7	2.5 ± 0.7
Safety	2.2 ± 0.3	2.1 ± 0.4
Subjects’ characteristics
Age (years)	53.8 ± 11.3	51.0 ± 11.2
Height (cm)	161.3 ± 8.9	161.4 ± 8.3
Weight (kg)	58.5 ± 10.9	59.4 ± 9.9
BMI (kg/m²)	22.4 ± 2.9	22.7 ± 2.7
Female (%)	52.1	57.8
Ownership of cars (%)	90.4	97.6
Habitual exercisers (%)^b	37.0	42.2
Habitual smokers (%)^c	21.9	13.3
Habitual drinkers (%)^d	53.4	44.6
Physical activities using the IPAQ
Walking for leisure (min/day)	4.6 ± 3.0	7.1 ± 2.9
Walking for transport (min/day)	3.3 ± 2.1	8.0 ± 2.0
Cycling for transport (min/day)	7.9 ± 2.2	4.5 ± 2.1
Physical activities using an accelerometer (n = 48) (n = 64)
Total walking steps (steps/day)	9,364.0 ± 567.0	8,293.5 ± 490.7

Data are given as the mean ± standard deviation (SD), percentage, or adjusted mean ± SE (only for PA times and walking steps). Physical activity (PA) times and walking steps were analyzed by ANCOVA adjusting for age and sex
GIS Geographic Information System, IPAQ International Physical Activity Questionnaire, ANEWS Abbreviated version of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale, BMI Body mass index
*P < 0.05; Student’s t test
^aType A, A region with an objective assessment of high residential density, land use mix-diversity, and street connectivity; Type B, a region with an objective assessment of low residential density, land use mix-diversity, and street connectivity
^bHabitual exercisers, subjects who reported exercising regularly
^cHabitual smokers, subjects who reported smoking regularly
^dHabitual drinkers, subjects who reported drinking regularly

ISSN: 1347-4715