title: Adolescents' perceptions of environmental influences on physical activity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine African American adolescents' perceptions of environmental influences on physical activity and identify physical activity promotion strategies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Concept mapping with 50 adolescents was used to obtain cluster maps of conceptual domains affecting physical activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven domains were identified, including physical activity settings, social support, negative social influences, parental control, negative environmental influences, transportation and technology issues, and financial issues. Their relative importance to physical activity varied by gender.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This research identified salient environmental characteristics that can be measured in future studies as well as strategies for increasing physical activity in urban youths.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Brown Medical School/The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI 02903, USA. aries@lifespan.org
authors.forename: Amy V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Ries
authors.forename: Carolyn C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Voorhees
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gittelsohn
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.forename: Nan M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Astone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015142:Baltimore; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012931:Social Environment