title: Neighborhood and physical activity outcomes in women: regional comparisons.
abstract: The environment a person lives in can play a large role in determining whether they exercise. This study examined the physical activity level of women living in either a northern or a southern region of the United States. Sedentary women were recruited to be part of a program designed to increase walking. Women were measured on the time it took to walk 1 mile, lung capacity, BMI, percent body fat, and mood. We found significant regional differences at baseline and change on outcomes over time. Awareness of the relationship between community/neighborhood and physical activity can be useful for designing fitness programs that are sensitive to environmental differences in women's lives.
authors.affiliation: Wayne State University, Cohn Building, Suite 319, 5557 Cass Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. m.nies@wayne.edu
authors.forename: Mary A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nies
authors.forename: Heather L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Chruscial
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D014481:United States; D016138:Walking; D016387:Women's Health