The impact of environmental community profile on population physical activity

Abstract

Aim. To evaluate the impact of environmental community profile on the physical activity among the residents of Siberia.Methods. A cross-sectional study of 1263 participants aged 35–70 years was performed. All respondents were surveyed to assess their environmental community profile using the Neighborhood Environmental Walkability Scale and physical activity using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The estimated binary indicators of physical activity, including driving, cycling, transport and recreational walking, sports, daily brisk walking (over 150 minutes per week). Logistic regression adjusted to the gender, age and socio-economic parameters was used to determine the presence of any associations between the environmental community profile and physical activity. The cluster analysis was used to group the communities by their environmental profile on the high walkability level and low walkability level.Results. Car driving was negatively associated with pedestrian and cycling facilities within the selected communities (OR 0.84; 0.71–0.99). The positive correlation of transport walking with the access to the community facilities (OR = 1.48; 1.17–1.87) and pedestrian and cycling facilities (OR = 1.24; 1.06–1.44) was found. The negative association of transport walking with traffic safety (OR = 0.74; 0.57–0.97) was determined. Recreational walking was positively associated with the access to the community facilities (OR = 1.23; 1.04–1.45), pedestrian and cycling facilities (OR = 1.20; 1.08–1.33), aesthetics (OR = 1.30; 1.11–1.51) and walkability index (OR = 1.45; 1.23–1.87). Brisk walking of more than 150 minutes per week was positively associated with the access to the community facilities (OR = 1.22; 1.02–1.47) and pedestrian and cycling facilities (OR = 1.15; 1.02–1.29).Conclusion. The impact of the environmental community profile on the transport physical was considered as a positive and was consistent with the results of other similar studies. However, some associations require further in-depth analysis.