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Wang J, Yang Y, Peng J, Yang L, Gou Z, Lu Y. Moderation effect of urban density on changes in physical activity during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND SOCIETY 2021; 72:103058. [PMID: 34840936 PMCID: PMC8609296 DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2021.103058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Various social distancing measures were carried out in many cities worldwide during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic (COVID-19). These measures have led to decreased physical activity levels and higher health risks among urban populations. Strong evidence has been established that built environment characteristics can stimulate physical activity and thus improve public health during non-pandemic periods. Urban density was arguably one of the most important built environment characteristics. However, little is known about whether high urban density amplifies or attenuates the decline in physical activity during the pandemic. Based on two-wave physical activity data collected before and during the pandemic (in January and May 2020, respectively), we used moderation analysis to compare the changes in physical activity levels between people living in low- and high-density neighborhoods. Our results showed that people living in low-density areas have a smaller decrease in physical activity conducted in neighborhood, compared to those living in high-density areas. Our findings suggest that a flexible and porous urban development strategy could enhance the resilience of a city during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Wang
- School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Yiyang Yang
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Jiandong Peng
- School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Linchuan Yang
- Department of Urban and Rural Planning, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhonghua Gou
- School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
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Geneshka M, Coventry P, Cruz J, Gilbody S. Relationship between Green and Blue Spaces with Mental and Physical Health: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Observational Studies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:9010. [PMID: 34501598 PMCID: PMC8431638 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18179010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
There is growing interest in the ways natural environments influence the development and progression of long-term health conditions. Vegetation and water bodies, also known as green and blue spaces, have the potential to affect health and behaviour through the provision of aesthetic spaces for relaxation, socialisation and physical activity. While research has previously assessed how green and blue spaces affect mental and physical wellbeing, little is known about the relationship between these exposures and health outcomes over time. This systematic review summarised the published evidence from longitudinal observational studies on the relationship between exposure to green and blue space with mental and physical health in adults. Included health outcomes were common mental health conditions, severe mental health conditions and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). An online bibliographic search of six databases was completed in July 2020. After title, abstract and full-text screening, 44 eligible studies were included in the analysis. Depression, diabetes and obesity were the health conditions most frequently studied in longitudinal relationships. The majority of exposures included indicators of green space availability and urban green space accessibility. Few studies addressed the relationship between blue space and health. The narrative synthesis pointed towards mixed evidence of a protective relationship between exposure to green space and health. There was high heterogeneity in exposure measures and adjustment for confounding between studies. Future policy and research should seek a standardised approach towards measuring green and blue space exposures and employ theoretical grounds for confounder adjustment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariya Geneshka
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York YO10 4DD, UK;
| | - Peter Coventry
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York YO10 4DD, UK;
- York Environmental Sustainability Institute, University of York, York YO10 4DD, UK
| | - Joana Cruz
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York YO10 5NG, UK;
- Population, Policy and Practice, UCL Great Ormond St. Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Simon Gilbody
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York YO10 4DD, UK;
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den Braver NR, Kok JG, Mackenbach JD, Rutter H, Oppert JM, Compernolle S, Twisk JWR, Brug J, Beulens JWJ, Lakerveld J. Neighbourhood drivability: environmental and individual characteristics associated with car use across Europe. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2020; 17:8. [PMID: 31952542 PMCID: PMC6967086 DOI: 10.1186/s12966-019-0906-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Car driving is a form of passive transportation associated with higher sedentary behaviour, which is associated with morbidity. The decision to drive a car is likely to be influenced by the 'drivability' of the built environment, but there is lack of scientific evidence regarding the relative contribution of environmental characteristics of car driving in Europe, compared to individual characteristics. This study aimed to determine which neighbourhood- and individual-level characteristics were associated with car driving in adults of five urban areas across Europe. Second, the study aimed to determine the percentage of variance in car driving explained by individual- and neighbourhood-level characteristics. METHODS Neighbourhood environment characteristics potentially related to car use were identified from the literature. These characteristics were subsequently assessed using a Google Street View audit and available GIS databases, in 59 administrative residential neighbourhoods in five European urban areas. Car driving (min/week) and individual level characteristics were self-reported by study participants (analytic sample n = 4258). We used linear multilevel regression analyses to assess cross-sectional associations of individual and neighbourhood-level characteristics with weekly minutes of car driving, and assessed explained variance at each level and for the total model. RESULTS Higher residential density (β:-2.61, 95%CI: - 4.99; -0.22) and higher land-use mix (β:-3.73, 95%CI: - 5.61; -1.86) were significantly associated with fewer weekly minutes of car driving. At the individual level, higher age (β: 1.47, 95%CI: 0.60; 2.33), male sex (β: 43.2, 95%CI:24.7; 61.7), being employed (β:80.1, 95%CI: 53.6; 106.5) and ≥ 3 person household composition (β: 47.4, 95%CI: 20.6; 74.2) were associated with higher weekly minutes of car driving. Individual and neighbourhood characteristics contributed about equally to explained variance in minutes of weekly car driving, with 2 and 3% respectively, but total explained variance remained low. CONCLUSIONS Residential density and land-use mix were neighbourhood characteristics consistently associated with minutes of weekly car driving, besides age, sex, employment and household composition. Although total explained variance was low, both individual- and neighbourhood-level characteristics were similarly important in their associations with car use in five European urban areas. This study suggests that more, higher quality, and longitudinal data are needed to increase our understanding of car use and its effects on determinants of health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolette R. den Braver
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Julia G. Kok
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joreintje D. Mackenbach
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Harry Rutter
- Department of Social and Policy Sciences, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Jean-Michel Oppert
- Department of Nutrition Pitié-Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université; Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition, Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
- Equipe de Recherche en Epidémiologie Nutritionnelle (EREN), Université Paris 13, Centre de Recherche en Epidémiologie et Statistiques, Inserm (U1153), Inra (U1125), Cnam, COMUE Sorbonne Paris Cité, Bobigny, France
| | - Sofie Compernolle
- Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jos W. R. Twisk
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes Brug
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- The Netherlands and the Amsterdam School for Communication Research, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joline W. J. Beulens
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Lakerveld
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Global Geo Health Data Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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