Citation

Adams MA, Ryan S, Kerr J, Sallis JF, Patrick K, Frank LD, Norman GJ. J. Phys. Act. Health 2009; 6(Suppl 1): S113-S123.

Affiliation

Dept. of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Human Kinetics Publishers)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

19998857

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Concurrent validity of Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS) items was evaluated with objective measures of the built environment using geographic information systems (GIS). METHODS: A sample of 878 parents of children 10 to 16 years old (mean age 43.5 years, SD = 6.8, 34.8% non-White, 63.8% overweight) completed NEWS and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. GIS was used to develop 1-mile street network buffers around participants' residences. GIS measures of the built environment within participants' buffers included percent of commercial and institutional land uses; number of schools and colleges, recreational facilities, parks, transit stops, and trees; land topography; and traffic congestion. RESULTS: Except for trees and traffic, concordance between the NEWS and GIS measures were significant, with weak to moderate effect sizes (r = -0.09 to -0.36, all P < or = 01). After participants were stratified by physical activity level, stronger concordance was observed among active participants for some measures. A sensitivity analysis of self-reported distance to 15 neighborhood destinations found a 20-minute (compared with 10- or 30-minute) walking threshold generally had the strongest correlations with GIS measures. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide evidence of the concurrent validity of self-reported built environment items with objective measures. Physically active adults may be more knowledgeable about their neighborhood characteristics.

Language: en