title: Neighborhood street scale elements, sedentary time and cardiometabolic risk factors in inactive ethnic minority women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiometabolic risk factors such as obesity, excess percent body fat, high blood pressure, elevated resting heart rate and sedentary behavior have increased in recent decades due to changes in the environment and lifestyle. Neighborhood micro-environmental, street scale elements may contribute to health above and beyond individual characteristics of residents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between neighborhood street scale elements and cardiometabolic risk factors among inactive ethnic minority women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women (N = 410) completed measures of BMI, percent body fat, blood pressure, resting heart rate, sedentary behavior and demographics. Trained field assessors completed the Pedestrian Environment Data Scan in participants' neighborhoods. Data were collected from 2006-2008. Multiple regression models were conducted in 2011 to estimate the effect of environmental factors on cardiometabolic risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adjusted regression models found an inverse association between sidewalk buffers and blood pressure, between traffic control devices and resting heart rate, and a positive association between presence of pedestrian crossing aids and BMI (ps<.05). Neighborhood attractiveness and safety for walking and cycling were related to more time spent in a motor vehicle (ps<.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings suggest complex relationships among micro-environmental, street scale elements that may confer important cardiometabolic benefits and risks for residents. Living in the most attractive and safe neighborhoods for physical activity may be associated with longer times spent sitting in the car.
authors.affiliation: Texas Obesity Research Center, Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA. releephd@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Rebecca E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Scherezade K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mama
authors.forename: Heather J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Adamus-Leach
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups; D054525:Minority Health; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016138:Walking; D014930:Women