Abstract 041: Perceived and Objective Characteristics of the Neighborhood Environment Are Associated With Accelerometer Measured Sedentary Time and Physical Activity, the CARDIA Study
Authors: Kara M Whitaker, Qian Xiao, Kelley Pettee Gabriel, Penny Gordon Larsen, David R Jacobs, Stephen Sidney, Jared P Reis, Bethany Barone Gibbs, Barbara Sternfeld, Kiarri N Kershaw
Journal: Circulation (2019)

Introduction: Growing evidence suggests that features of the neighborhood environment are associated with moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA). Less is known about whether the neighborhood environment is associated with sedentary time (SED) or light-intensity physical activity (LPA), two emerging, independent risk factors for adverse health outcomes. Objective: To investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of perceived and objective characteristics of the neighborhood environment with accelerometer-measured SED, LPA, and MVPA. Methods: Participants were 2,120 men and women from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study who took part in the year 20 (2005-2006, aged 38-50 years) and year 30 exams (2015-2016, aged 48-60 years). Characteristics of the neighborhood environment assessed at year 20 included self-reported neighborhood cohesion, self-reported resources for physical activity, and objectively-measured neighborhood poverty and racial residential segregation using geocoded addresses linked to U.S. Census data. Physical activity was measured by accelerometer at year 20 in the full sample, and at year 30 in a sub-sample (n=892). Multivariable linear regression models examined cross-sectional associations of neighborhood measures at year 20 with SED, LPA, and MVPA assessed that year, and with 10-year changes in SED, LPA, and MVPA. Differences by race and sex group were also examined. Results: In cross-sectional analyses, each one standard deviation increase in the neighborhood cohesion score was associated with 4.1 less SED minutes/day (95% CI: -8.0, -0.2, p=0.04), and 4.5 more LPA minutes/day (95% CI: 0.9, 8.0, p=0.01). Each one standard deviation increase in the neighborhood resources score was associated with 1.2 more MVPA minutes/day (95% CI: 0.1, 2.3, p=0.04). A one standard deviation increase in neighborhood poverty was associated with 11.1 less SED minutes/day (95% CI: -21.2, -1.2, p=0.03) and 10.6 more LPA minutes/day (95% CI: 1.8, 19.4, p=0.02), among black men only. None of the neighborhood characteristics were associated with 10-year changes in activity in the full study sample; however, each one standard deviation increase in the neighborhood cohesion score was associated with a 10-year decrease of 25.4 SED minutes/day (95% CI: -46.7, -4.1, p=0.02) and a 10-year increase of 19.0 LPA minutes/day (95% CI: 1.9, 36.1, p=0.03), among black men only. Conclusions: Higher neighborhood cohesion and resources were beneficially associated with accelerometer-measured activity in cross-sectional analyses; however, neighborhood characteristics did not associate with 10-year changes in activity. Differences were observed by race and sex, with more robust findings observed in black men for neighborhood poverty and cohesion.