Effects of the built environment on physical activity: a systematic review of longitudinal studies taking sex/gender into account

Abstract Background Individual health behavior is related to environmental and social structures. To promote physical activity (PA) effectively, it is necessary to consider structural influences. Previous research has shown the relevance of the built environment. However, sex/gender differences have yet not been considered. The aim of this systematic review was to identify built environmental determinants of PA by taking sex/gender into account. Methods A systematic literature search was carried out using six electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, SportDiscus, PsycInfo, Scopus, Web of Knowledge) to identify studies analyzing the effect of changes in the built environment on PA, taking sex/gender into account. To be included, studies had to be based on quantitative data and a longitudinal study design. Changes in the built environment had to be objectively assessed. The methodological quality of the studies was examined using the QualSyst tool for examining risk of bias. Results In total, 36 studies published since 2000 were included in this review. The data synthesis revealed that the majority of reviewed studies found the built environment to be a determinant of PA behavior for both, males and females, in a similar way. Creating a new infrastructure for walking, cycling, and public transportation showed a positive effect on PA behavior. Findings were most consistent for the availability of public transport, which was positively associated with overall PA and walking. The improvement of walking and cycling infrastructure had no effect on the overall level of PA, but it attracted more users and had a positive effect on active transportation. In women, the availability of public transport, safe cycling lanes, housing density, and the distance to daily destinations proved to be more relevant with regard to their PA behavior. In men, street network characteristics and road environment, such as intersection connectivity, local road density, and the presence of dead-end roads, were more important determinants of PA. Conclusion This review sheds light on the relevance of the built environment on PA. By focusing on sex/gender differences, a new aspect was addressed that should be further analyzed in future research and considered by urban planners and other practitioners.

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Gender differences in the relationship between built environment and non-communicable diseases: A systematic review

Journal of Public Health Research ◽

10.4081/jphr.2018.1239 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Joanna Sara Valson ◽

V. Raman Kutty

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Risk Factors ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Gender Differences ◽

Built Environment ◽

Gender Norms ◽

Communicable Diseases ◽

Men And Women ◽

Non Communicable Diseases ◽

The Relationship

Non-communicable diseases are on the rise globally. Risk factors of non-communicable diseases continue to be a growing concern in both developed and developing countries. With significant rise in population and establishment of buildings, rapid changes have taken place in the built environment. Relationship between health and place, particularly with non-communicable diseases has been established in previous literature. This systematic review assesses the current evidence on influence of gender in the relationship between built environment and non-communicable diseases. A systematic literature search using PubMed was done to identify all studies that reported relationship between gender and built environment. All titles and abstracts were scrutinised to include only articles based on risk factors, prevention, treatment and outcome of non-communicable diseases. The Gender Analysis Matrix developed by the World Health Organization was used to describe the findings of gender differences. Sex differences, biological susceptibility, gender norms/ values, roles and activities related to gender and access to/control over resources were themes for the differences in the relationship. A total of 15 out of 214 articles met the inclusion criteria. Majority of the studies were on risk factors of non-communicable diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases. Gender differences in physical access to recreational facilities, neighbourhood perceptions of safety and walkability have been documented. Men and women showed differential preferences to walking, engaging in physical activity and in perceiving safety of the neighbourhood. Girls and boys showed differences in play activities at school and in their own neighbourhood environment. Safety from crime and safety from traffic were also perceived important to engage in physical activity. Gender norms and gender roles and activities have shown basis for the differences in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases. Sparse evidence was found on how built environment affects health seeking behaviour, preventive options or experience with health providers. Though yet unexplored in the developing or low/middle income countries, there seems to be a major role in the gendered perception of how men and women are affected by noncommunicable diseases. Large gaps still exist in the research evidence on gender-based differences in non-communicable diseases and built environment relationship. Future research directions could bring out underpinnings of how perceived and objective built environment could largely affect the health behaviour of men and women across the globe.

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Citizen experience in public transport: A systematic review and future research agenda

International Journal of Consumer Studies ◽

10.1111/ijcs.12699 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jeisson Rincon‐Novoa ◽

Sandra Rojas‐Berrio ◽

Oscar Robayo‐Pinzon

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Public Transport ◽

Research Agenda ◽

Future Research ◽

Future Research Agenda

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Obsessive healthy eating and orthorexic eating tendencies in sport and exercise contexts: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Journal of Behavioral Addictions ◽

10.1556/2006.2021.00004 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jana Strahler ◽

Hanna Wachten ◽

Anett Mueller-Alcazar

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Gender Differences ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Group Analysis ◽

Future Research ◽

Exercise Behaviors ◽

Sport And Exercise ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

Meta Analyses

AbstractBackgroundOrthorexia Nervosa (ON) and exercise addiction (ExAdd) are two phenomena believed to overlap. We conducted a meta-analysis exploring the link between ON and (addictive) exercise behaviors.MethodsA systematic review of major databases and gray literature was carried out for studies reporting on ON and (addictive) exercise behaviors. Random effects meta-analyses were undertaken calculating correlations between ON and (addictive) exercise behaviors. A sub-group analysis investigated gender differences.ResultsTwenty-five studies with 10,134 participants (mean age = 25.21; 56.4% female) were included. Analyses showed a small overall correlation between ON and exercise (21 studies, r = 0.12, 95% CI |0.06–0.18|) and a medium overall correlation between ON and ExAdd (7 studies, r = 0.29, 95% CI |0.13–0.45|). Gender differences were negligible.ConclusionsOrthorexic eating correlated slightly and moderately with exercise and ExAdd, respectively, expressing some unique and shared variance of these behaviors. While this does not suggest ON and addictive exercising to be independent, it does not indicate substantial comorbidity. Future research should focus on clinical relevance, underlying mechanisms, vulnerability, and risk factors.

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The Built Environment as a Determinant of Physical Activity: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies and Natural Experiments

Annals of Behavioral Medicine ◽

10.1093/abm/kax043 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 52 (3) ◽

pp. 239-251 ◽

Cited By ~ 66

Author(s):

Mikko Kärmeniemi ◽

Tiina Lankila ◽

Tiina Ikäheimo ◽

Heli Koivumaa-Honkanen ◽

Raija Korpelainen

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Built Environment ◽

Longitudinal Studies ◽

Natural Experiments

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Digital health technologies for long term self-management of osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.32557 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ghada Alhussein ◽

Leontios Hadjileontiadis

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Digital Health ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Self Management ◽

Current Status ◽

Future Research ◽

Common Chronic Disease ◽

Health Technologies ◽

Management Interventions

BACKGROUND Osteoporosis is the fourth most common chronic disease in the world. Adopting preventative measures and effective self-management interventions help in improving bone health. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies can play a key role in osteoporosis patient care and self- management. OBJECTIVE This study presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of the currently available mHealth applications targeting osteoporosis self-management, aiming to determine the current status, gaps and challenges the future research could address, proposing appropriate recommendations. METHODS In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO, Web of Science, and IEEExplore databases between Jan 1, 2010 and May 31, 2021, for all English publications that describe apps dedicated to or being useful for osteoporosis, targeting self-management, nutrition, physical activity, risk assessment, delivered on smartphone devices for young and older adults. In addition, a survey of all osteoporosis-related apps available in iOS and Android app stores as of May 31, 2021 was also conducted. Primary outcomes of interest were the prevention or reduction of unhealthy behaviours or improvement in healthy behaviours of the six behaviours. Outcomes were summarised in a narrative synthesis and combined using random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS In total, 3906 unique articles were identified. Of these, 32 articles met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed in depth. The 32 studies were comprising 14 235 participants, of whom on average 69.5% were female, with a mean age of 49.8 years (SD 17.8). The app search identified 23 relevant apps for osteoporosis self-management. The meta-analysis revealed that mHealth supported interventions resulted in a significant reduction in pain (Hedge’s g -1.09, 95%CI -1.68 to -0.45) and disability (Hedge’s g -0.77, 95%CI -1.59 to 0.05). The post-treatment effect of the digital intervention was significant for physical function (Hedge’s g 2.54, 95%CI -4.08 to 4.08); yet nonsignificant for wellbeing (Hedge’s g 0.17, 95% CI -1.84 to 2.17), physical activity (Hedges’ g 0.09, 95%CI -0.59 to 0.50), anxiety (Hedge’s g -0.29, 95%CI -6.11 to 5.53), fatigue (Hedge’s g -0.34, 95%CI -5.84 to 5.16), calcium (Hedge’s g -0.05, 95%CI -0.59 to 0.50) and vitamin D (Hedge’s g 0.10, 95% CI -4.05 to 4.26) intake, and trabecular score (Hedge’s g 0.06, 95%CI -1.00 to 1.12). CONCLUSIONS Osteoporosis apps have the potential to support and improve the management of the disease and its symptoms; they also appear to be a valuable tool for patients and health professionals. However, the majority of the apps that are currently available lack clinically validated evidence of their efficacy and they most focus on a limited number of symptoms. A more holistic and personalized approach, within a co-creation design ecosystem, is needed.

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Impact of built environment on physical activity and obesity among children and adolescents in China: A narrative systematic review

Journal of Sport and Health Science ◽

10.1016/j.jshs.2018.11.003 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 153-169 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Ruopeng An ◽

Jing Shen ◽

Qiuying Yang ◽

Yan Yang

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Built Environment ◽

Children And Adolescents

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Workplace neighbourhood built environment and workers’ physically-active and sedentary behaviour: a systematic review of observational studies

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity ◽

10.1186/s12966-020-01055-x ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Chien-Yu Lin ◽

Mohammad Javad Koohsari ◽

Yung Liao ◽

Kaori Ishii ◽

Ai Shibata ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Built Environment ◽

Sedentary Behaviour ◽

Observational Studies ◽

English Language ◽

Research Priorities ◽

Working Hours ◽

Recreational Physical Activity ◽

Domain Specific

Abstract Background Many desk-based workers can spend more than half of their working hours sitting, with low levels of physical activity. Workplace neighbourhood built environment may influence workers’ physical activities and sedentary behaviours on workdays. We reviewed and synthesised evidence from observational studies on associations of workplace neighbourhood attributes with domain-specific physical activity and sedentary behaviour and suggested research priorities for improving the quality of future relevant studies. Methods Published studies were obtained from nine databases (PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Scopus, Transport Research International Documentation, MEDLINE, Cochrane, Embase, and CINAHL) and crosschecked by Google Scholar. Observational studies with quantitative analyses estimating associations between workplace neighbourhood built environment attributes and workers’ physical activity or sedentary behaviour were included. Studies were restricted to those published in English language peer-reviewed journals from 2000 to 2019. Results A total of 55 studies and 455 instances of estimated associations were included. Most instances of potential associations of workplace neighbourhood built environment attributes with total or domain-specific (occupational, transport, and recreational) physical activity were non-significant. However, destination-related attributes (i.e., longer distances from workplace to home and access to car parking) were positively associated with transport-related sedentary behaviour (i.e., car driving). Conclusions The findings reinforce the case for urban design policies on designing mixed-use neighbourhoods where there are opportunities to live closer to workplaces and have access to a higher density of shops, services, and recreational facilities. Studies strengthening correspondence between the neighbourhood built environment attributes and behaviours are needed to identify and clarify potential relationships. Protocol registration The protocol of this systematic review was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) on 2 December 2019 (registration number: CRD42019137341).

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Evaluating the Effective Physical Indicators of Built Environment on Promotion of Sustainable Transportation: The Case of Sanandaj City

Education and Urban Society ◽

10.1177/0013124519884931 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 52 (5) ◽

pp. 774-799

Author(s):

Farzin Charehjoo ◽

Nassim Hoorijani

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Built Environment ◽

Public Transportation ◽

Critical Role ◽

Physical Activities ◽

Sustainable Transportation ◽

Neighborhood Design ◽

Statistical Population ◽

The Impact

The main goal of this research is to evaluate the relationship between the built environment and public health of citizens in four different buffers of Sanandaj, Kurdistan province, Iran. There is a growing body of evidence that links the neighborhood design to public health and argues that the built environment impacts on the public health of people through the weakening or strengthening of sustainable transportation (walking, cycling, and public transportation) and physical activity. Regular physical activity has a significant impact on the health of individuals, and this can be the best way to cope with several diseases. The statistical population of this study includes people between the age of 18 and 65 years in Sanandaj city. The method used to investigate the normality of dependent variables is the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test; the assessment of the resident’s difference of physical activities is conducted through one-way variance; the impact of the built environment on physical activities is assessed through a multivariate regression test, and the effect of physical activity on the health of the individuals is evaluated through a correlation test. This study, by explaining the characteristics of the built environment in four different buffers, has exhibited that the environment supporting physical activity of pedestrians plays a critical role in increasing the amount of physical activity they engage in.

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