title: Does perceived neighborhood walkability and safety mediate the association between education and meeting physical activity guidelines?
abstract: The role of neighborhood walkability and safety in mediating the association between education and physical activity has not been quantified. We used data from the 2010 and 2012 Communities Putting Prevention to Work Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and structural equation modeling to estimate how much of the effect of education level on physical activity was mediated by perceived neighborhood walkability and safety. Neighborhood walkability accounts for 11.3% and neighborhood safety accounts for 6.8% of the effect. A modest proportion of the important association between education and physical activity is mediated by perceived neighborhood walkability and safety, suggesting that interventions focused on enhancing walkability and safety could reduce the disparity in physical activity associated with education level.
authors: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Mailstop F-80, 4770 Buford Hwy, NE, Atlanta GA 30341. Email: mpratt@cdc.gov.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Pratt
authors: SciMetrika, LLC, Durham, North Carolina.
authors: Shaoman
authors: S
authors: Yin
authors: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors: Robin
authors: R
authors: Soler
authors: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors: Rashid
authors: R
authors: Njai
authors: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors: Paul Z
authors: PZ
authors: Siegel
authors: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors: Youlian
authors: Y
authors: Liao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012449:Safety; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D064424:Tobacco Use / Q000517:prevention & control; D014481:United States; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology*