title: Public open spaces and walking for recreation: moderation by attributes of pedestrian environments.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined whether attributes of pedestrian environments moderate the relationships between access to public open spaces (POS) and adults' recreational walking.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from participants of the North West Adelaide Health Study in 2007. Recreational walking was determined using self-reported walking frequency. Measures of POS access (presence, count, and distance to the nearest POS) were assessed using a Geographic Information System. Pedestrian environmental attributes included aesthetics, walking infrastructure, barrier/traffic, crime concern, intersection density, and access to walking trails. Regression analyses examined whether associations between POS access and recreational walking were moderated by pedestrian environmental attributes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample included 1574 participants (45% men, mean age: 55). POS access measures were not associated with recreational walking. However, aesthetics, walking infrastructure, and access to walking trail were found to moderate the POS-walking relationships. The presence of POS was associated with walking among participants with aesthetically pleasing pedestrian environments. Counter-intuitively, better access to POS was associated with recreational walking for those with poorer walking infrastructure or no access to walking trails.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Local pedestrian environments moderate the relationships between access to POS and recreational walking. Our findings suggest the presence of complex relationships between POS availability and pedestrian environments.
authors: Spatial Epidemiology and Evaluation Research Group, Sansom Institute for Health Research, School of Population Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia. Electronic address: takemi.sugiyama@unisa.edu.au.
authors: Takemi
authors: T
authors: Sugiyama
authors: Spatial Epidemiology and Evaluation Research Group, Sansom Institute for Health Research, School of Population Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia; Research Centre of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Canada.
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Paquet
authors: Spatial Epidemiology and Evaluation Research Group, Sansom Institute for Health Research, School of Population Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
authors: Natasha J
authors: NJ
authors: Howard
authors: Spatial Epidemiology and Evaluation Research Group, Sansom Institute for Health Research, School of Population Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
authors: Neil T
authors: NT
authors: Coffee
authors: Discipline of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Australia.
authors: Anne W
authors: AW
authors: Taylor
authors: Discipline of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Australia.
authors: Robert J
authors: RJ
authors: Adams
authors: Spatial Epidemiology and Evaluation Research Group, Sansom Institute for Health Research, School of Population Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia; Department of Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Daniel
mesh_terms: D001107:Architectural Accessibility; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015987:Effect Modifier, Epidemiologic; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011633:Public Facilities; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D060685:Sense of Coherence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013021:South Australia; D062206:Spatial Analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Effect modification; Environment; Park; Physical activity