Citation

Wallmann B, Spittaels H, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Froboese I. Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act. 2012; 9(1): 33.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/1479-5868-9-33

PMID

22452938

PMCID

PMC3353859

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the perception of the neighbourhood environment alters when changing the physical activity behaviour through a pedometer intervention. FINDINGS: The intervention was implemented for 15 weeks in a small village in Germany, and was based on the individual baseline activity level. Eighty-two inhabitants participated in the study and completed an environmental questionnaire before and after the intervention. Results showed that after the intervention the participants perceived a lower distance to local facilities, a higher availability of bike lanes and infrastructures, a better maintenance of infrastructure, a better network and a safer traffic situation. CONCLUSION: This suggests that a change in the levels of physical activity merges the levels of exposure to the environment which results in different environmental perceptions.

Language: en