title: Contrasting physical activity patterns in children and adolescents living in differing environments in the U.K.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is evidence for lower physical activity (PA) in rural adults; it is important to evaluate how the environment influences the PA of children and adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared the PA of 6485 English 10-15.9 year olds according to two systems for classifying the immediate environment. System one compared urban and rural areas. System two compared urban, town and fringe, and rural areas. Analyses were carried out separately for children (<13 years) and adolescents (>13 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rural children were more active than those from urban areas (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.15-1.66) as were adolescents (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.11-1.51). Using trilateral division, children were more active if they lived in town and fringe (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.03-1.67) or rural (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.14-1.84) areas compared with urban areas. Adolescents from town and fringe areas were more active than urban dwellers (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.24-1.81). Rural adolescents' PA did not differ from urban dwellers'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rural environments support PA in children but not that of adolescents. Town and fringe areas with mixed elements of rural and urban land use appear to facilitate and sustain PA in both children and adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, Essex, UK.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ogunleye
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Voss
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Pretty
authors.forename: G R H
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Sandercock
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013383:Suburban Population; D006113:United Kingdom; D014505:Urban Population