title: The perception of the neighborhood environment changes after participation in a pedometer based community intervention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate whether the perception of the neighbourhood environment alters when changing the physical activity behaviour through a pedometer intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intervention was implemented for 15 weeks in a small village in Germany, and was based on the individual baseline activity level. Eighty-two inhabitants participated in the study and completed an environmental questionnaire before and after the intervention. Results showed that after the intervention the participants perceived a lower distance to local facilities, a higher availability of bike lanes and infrastructures, a better maintenance of infrastructure, a better network and a safer traffic situation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This suggests that a change in the levels of physical activity merges the levels of exposure to the environment which results in different environmental perceptions.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Health, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany. wallmann@dshs-koeln.de
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wallmann
authors.forename: Heleen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Spittaels
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Bourdeaudhuij
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Froboese
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001642:Bicycling / Q000523:psychology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D010465:Perception; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology