title: Kids in the city study: research design and methodology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical activity is essential for optimal physical and psychological health but substantial declines in children's activity levels have occurred in New Zealand and internationally. Children's independent mobility (i.e., outdoor play and traveling to destinations unsupervised), an integral component of physical activity in childhood, has also declined radically in recent decades. Safety-conscious parenting practices, car reliance and auto-centric urban design have converged to produce children living increasingly sedentary lives. This research investigates how urban neighborhood environments can support or enable or restrict children's independent mobility, thereby influencing physical activity accumulation and participation in daily life.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is located in six Auckland, New Zealand neighborhoods, diverse in terms of urban design attributes, particularly residential density. Participants comprise 160 children aged 9-11 years and their parents/caregivers. Objective measures (global positioning systems, accelerometers, geographical information systems, observational audits) assessed children's independent mobility and physical activity, neighborhood infrastructure, and streetscape attributes. Parent and child neighborhood perceptions and experiences were assessed using qualitative research methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study is one of the first internationally to examine the association of specific urban design attributes with child independent mobility. Using robust, appropriate, and best practice objective measures, this study provides robust epidemiological information regarding the relationships between the built environment and health outcomes for this population.
authors.affiliation: School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Auckland, NZ. r.kearns@auckland.ac.nz
authors.forename: Melody
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Witten
authors.forename: Robin A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Kearns
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mavoa
authors.forename: Hannah M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Badland
authors.forename: Penelope
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: Chelsea
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Drumheller
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tavae
authors.forename: Lanuola
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Asiasiga
authors.forename: Su
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jelley
authors.forename: Hector
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaiwai
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Opit
authors.forename: En-Yi Judy
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sweetsur
authors.forename: Helen Moewaka
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.forename: Nic
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ergler
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D049628:Body Size; D002648:Child; D002947:Cities; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004779:Environment Design; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D012107:Research Design; D057185:Sedentary Behavior