title: Does territoriality modify the relationship between perceived neighborhood challenges and physical activity? A multilevel analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Individuals who perceive more neighborhood challenges are less physically active. Territoriality, an observable positive marker of social presence and defensible space in the neighborhood, may influence the association between neighborhood challenges and physical activity (PA). We hypothesized that greater territoriality would reduce the negative effects of neighborhood challenges on PA levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected by the Healthy Environments Partnership in an urban Midwestern city. Multilevel regressions were used to test associations in a sample of 696 white, black, and Hispanic adults older than 25 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Territoriality moderated associations between residents' perceptions of neighborhood challenges and PA. Contrary to our hypothesis, individuals who perceived more neighborhood challenges and lived in areas with more territoriality markers (e.g., buildings with decorations, buildings with security signage, and neighborhood watch signs) were less physically active than other respondents (b = -2.41, standard error = 0.84, P < .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that associations between perceived neighborhood challenges and PA are shaped by the context in which the individual lives. Our study provides empirical evidence that individual perceptions and observed neighborhood characteristics are joint contributors to PA and suggest the need for continued research to characterize the complexity of individual and contextual factors that contribute to PA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Michigan-Flint. Electronic address: vickij@umich.edu.
authors.forename: Vicki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Johnson-Lawrence
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
authors.forename: Amy J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Shannon N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Zenk
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Israel
authors.affiliation: Friends of Parkside, Detroit, MI.
authors.forename: Zachary
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rowe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055361:Multilevel Analysis; D010465:Perception; D044469:Racial Groups; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013731:Territoriality; D014505:Urban Population; D044465:White People
keywords: Neighborhoods; Physical activity; Territoriality