How Do Neighbourhood Definitions Influence the Associations between Built Environment and Physical Activity?

ABSTRACT: Researchers investigating relationships between the neighbourhood environment and health first need to decide on the spatial extent of the neighbourhood they are interested in. This decision is an important and ongoing methodological challenge since different methods of defining and delineating neighbourhood boundaries can produce different results. This paper explores this issue in the context of a New Zealand-based study of the relationship between the built environment and multiple measures of physical activity. Geographic information systems were used to measure three built environment attributes-dwelling density, street connectivity, and neighbourhood destination accessibility-using seven different neighbourhood definitions (three administrative unit boundaries, and 500, 800, 1000- an

SUBMITTER: Mavoa S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6540146 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature