About the Project

Background

Sedentary lifestyles are a contributing factor to hundreds of thousands of deaths each year in the United States.  Urban areas that limit opportunities for physical activity in daily life are believed to play a role in encouraging sedentary habits.  Consequently, researchers and policymakers are beginning to examine the characteristics of the built and natural environments that can facilitate active living.  

Study Objective

The aims of this study are:

a) to replicate and test the statistical and practical significance of the relationship between objectively measured physical activity and an expanded range of measures of the built and natural environments;

b) to examine potential substitution effects among the locations where physical activity can take place by collecting original data on how people allocate time to physical activity and details on where such activity occurs; and

c) to incorporate individual preferences and attitudes to examine issues of self-selection related to location and physical activity levels.

Study Location

This study is taking place in Montgomery County, Maryland .  This county includes several types of built environments, making it ideal for this type of study. With environments ranging from low-density exurban to highly urbanized and transit-oriented, Montgomery County is a prime setting for testing the associations between physical activity and the built environment.  In addition to having a mixture of urban densities, Montgomery County has a diverse population in terms of age, race, employment, income, and automobile ownership.

In addition to the benefits of a diverse population and landscape, Montgomery County is also an ideal study area because of its implementation of GIS and planning support systems.  The Montgomery County Department of Technology Services-Geographic Information System Services (DTS-GIS) is one of the nation's leading GIS departments.  Since 1999, the National Association of Counties has recognized DTS-GIS's efforts with eight achievement awards for innovative programs that contribute to and enhance county governments in the United States; three of these awards were given in 2002.

Participants and Methods

This study will use a quasi-experimental research design based on a microeconomic behavioral model to examine the simultaneous influence of factors related to the physical environment on time allocated to physical activity in various places and for different purposes.  We are using a socio-ecologic model to identify a number of factors, including individual, social, social-environmental, attitudinal/habitual, and physical environmental, that can influence the relationship between physical activity and the built environment at the individual level.  The study is using primary and secondary data sources to develop several objective measures of the built environment, which will be combined with objective and self-reported data on physical activity.

A two-stage sampling design representing various types of built environments is being used to identify study participants.  Participants will be equipped with an accelerometer used to objectively measure physical activity.  They will also use a pocket-sized activity diary to record the amount and location of daily physical activity. Participants are also being asked to respond to a survey asking about socio-demographic characteristics and individual attitudes. Survey data will be combined with detailed GIS data and direct field observations to develop measures of the built environment including density, land use mix, street connectivity, urban infrastructure and scale, micro-design attributes, and regional access.