title: Validation of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS) items using geographic information systems.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Concurrent validity of Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS) items was evaluated with objective measures of the built environment using geographic information systems (GIS).
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 878 parents of children 10 to 16 years old (mean age 43.5 years, SD = 6.8, 34.8% non-White, 63.8% overweight) completed NEWS and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. GIS was used to develop 1-mile street network buffers around participants' residences. GIS measures of the built environment within participants' buffers included percent of commercial and institutional land uses; number of schools and colleges, recreational facilities, parks, transit stops, and trees; land topography; and traffic congestion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Except for trees and traffic, concordance between the NEWS and GIS measures were significant, with weak to moderate effect sizes (r = -0.09 to -0.36, all P < or = 01). After participants were stratified by physical activity level, stronger concordance was observed among active participants for some measures. A sensitivity analysis of self-reported distance to 15 neighborhood destinations found a 20-minute (compared with 10- or 30-minute) walking threshold generally had the strongest correlations with GIS measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings provide evidence of the concurrent validity of self-reported built environment items with objective measures. Physically active adults may be more knowledgeable about their neighborhood characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, USA.
authors.forename: Marc A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Sherry
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sallis
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patrick
authors.forename: Lawrence D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Norman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002140:California; D002648:Child; D002958:City Planning; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D004779:Environment Design; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D016138:Walking