title: Agent-based modeling of physical activity behavior and environmental correlations: an introduction and illustration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To introduce Agent-Based Model (ABM) to physical activity (PA) research and, using data from a study of neighborhood walkability and walking behavior, to illustrate parameters for an ABM of walking behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  The concept, brief history, mechanism, major components, key steps, advantages, and limitations of ABM were first introduced. For illustration, 10 participants (age in years: mean = 68, SD = 8) were recruited from a walkable and a nonwalkable neighborhood. They wore AMP 331 triaxial accelerometers and GeoLogger GPA tracking devices for 21 days. Data were analyzed using conventional statistics and highresolution geographic image analysis, which focused on a) path length, b) path duration, c) number of GPS reporting points, and d) interaction between distances and time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average steps by subjects ranged from 1810-10,453 steps per day (mean = 6899, SD = 3823). No statistical difference in walking behavior was found between neighborhoods (Walkable = 6710 ± 2781, Nonwalkable = 7096 ± 4674). Three environment parameters (ie, sidewalk, crosswalk, and path) were identified for future ABM simulation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ABM should provide a better understanding of PA behavior's interaction with the environment, as illustrated using a real-life example. PA field should take advantage of ABM in future research.
authors: Dept of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA.
authors: Weimo
authors: W
authors: Zhu
authors: Zorica
authors: Z
authors: Nedovic-Budic
authors: Robert B
authors: RB
authors: Olshansky
authors: Jed
authors: J
authors: Marti
authors: Yong
authors: Y
authors: Gao
authors: Youngsik
authors: Y
authors: Park
authors: Edward
authors: E
authors: McAuley
authors: Wojciech
authors: W
authors: Chodzko-Zajko
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*