Urban Sprawl and Physical Activity Levels

描述(由申请人提供)：本申请响应PA-03-015，支持初步研究，以证明新研究方法的可行性。它有10页的限制和有限的预算。本申请研究了一种提高体力活动水平的新方法。体育锻炼有益于健康；然而，大多数美国人都是久坐不动的。最近，人们对物理环境是否会影响大量人的活动水平感兴趣。现有的数据有两个主要限制。首先，数据主要来自土地利用和交通研究，使用的是横断面研究。这些数据表明了建筑环境和交通选择(汽车、公共汽车、步行等)之间的关联。然而，目前还不清楚建筑环境是否会影响身体活动，或者积极活动的人是否更喜欢生活在特定的建筑环境中。其次，来自公共卫生研究的研究，也有类似的发现，使用了物理环境的自我报告。这些结果可能是因为活跃的人更了解鼓励锻炼的设施(例如，步行距离内的公园、商店等)而产生的偏差。 本研究调查了体育环境和体育活动之间的联系，解决了上述限制。它将检验基本假设，即生活在城市扩张较少地区的人有更高的体力活动水平。将使用哈佛校友健康研究(HAHS)和高血压预防后续研究试验(TOHP)的数据。HAHS由大约10,000名在1988年和1993年返回健康调查的男性组成。TOHP包括大约3300名男性和女性，他们分别在1988-95年和1999-2004年进行了健康调查。将使用受试者的地址和地理信息系统地图，在两个时间点的每个时间点为每个受试者分配一个城市扩张的客观衡量标准。城市和交通规划师将提供城市扩张措施方面的专业知识。在这两项研究中，使用关于步行、爬楼梯和休闲活动的验证性问题来评估体力活动。将进行横断面和纵向分析。HAHS的一项初步研究表明，在1988至1993年间，16%的男性更换了地址。检查搬家的人将最大限度地减少来自选择居住在城市扩张较少的地区的活跃人士的偏见。这项研究将为规划或重新设计社区提供重要信息，以最大限度地发挥体育活动和健康的潜力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application responds to PA-03-015, which supports preliminary studies to demonstrate the feasibility of novel research approaches. It has a 10-page limit and limited budget. The present application investigates a novel approach to increasing physical activity levels. Physical activity is beneficial for health; however, most Americans are sedentary. Recently, there has been interest in whether the physical environment can influence activity levels among large numbers of people. The available data have two main limitations. First, the data come primarily from land use and transportation research, using cross-sectional studies. These data indicate an association between the built environment and choice of transportation (car, bus, walk, etc.). However, it is unclear whether the built environment influences physical activity, or whether active persons prefer living in a particular built environment. Second, studies from public health research, with similar findings, have used self-reports of the physical environment. These results may be biased by active persons being more aware of facilities which encourage exercise (e.g., parks, shops within walking distance, etc.). The present study investigates the association between the physical environment and physical activity, addressing the limitations above. It will test the primary hypothesis that persons living in areas with less urban sprawl have higher levels of physical activity. Date from the Harvard Alumni Health Study (HAHS) and the Trials of Hypertension Prevention Follow-up Study (TOHP) will be used. HAHS comprises about 10,000 men who returned health surveys in 1988 and 1993. TOHP comprises about 3,300 men and women who returned health surveys in 1988-95 and again in 1999-2004. An objective measure of urban sprawl will be assigned to each subject, at each of the two time points, using subjects' addresses and GIS mapping. An urban and transportation planner will provide expertise on urban sprawl measures. In both studies, physical activity was assessed using validated questions on walking, climbing stairs, and leisure activities. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses will be conducted. A pilot study in HAHS indicated that 16% of men changed addresses between 1988 and 1993. Examining persons who move will minimize bias from active persons who choose to live in areas with less urban sprawl. This study will provide important information for planning or redesigning communities in order to maximize the potential for physical activity and health.