title: Perceived environment in relation to objective and self-reported physical activity in Spanish youth. The UP&DOWN study.
abstract: The aims of the present study were to assess the association of environmental perception with objective and self-reported physical activity (PA) and the relation between environmental perception and meeting PA recommendations on children and adolescents. A sample of 1520 youth (770 boys) aged 8-18 years (12.1 ± 2.5 years) from the UP&DOWN study were included in the data analyses. Environmental perception was assessed with the short adapted version of the ALPHA environmental questionnaire. PA was objectively (accelerometers) and self-reported measured (PA Questionnaire for Children, Patient-centered Assessment and Counseling for Exercise Questionnaire and Finnish PA Index). Linear regression models were used to assess the association of environmental perception with PA. Bivariate logistic regression models were used to assess differences between environmental perception and meeting PA recommendations. Environmental perception was positively associated with both objective and self-reported PA. Some differences were found in the association of environmental perception and PA between sex- and age-specific groups. Youth who perceived a more favourable environment were more likely to meet PA recommendations (at least 60 min · day(-1) of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA)). Results suggest that environmental perceptions of children and adolescents may play an important role in achieving higher levels of PA.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Physical Education, Sports, and Human Movement , Autonomous University of Madrid , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Garcia-Cervantes
authors.affiliation: b Faculty of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, INEF , Technical University of Madrid , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Romo
authors.affiliation: a Department of Physical Education, Sports, and Human Movement , Autonomous University of Madrid , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Esteban-Cornejo
authors.affiliation: a Department of Physical Education, Sports, and Human Movement , Autonomous University of Madrid , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cabanas-Sanchez
authors.affiliation: c Department of Physical Education, School of Education , University of Cádiz , Puerto Real , Spain.
authors.forename: Álvaro
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Delgado-Alfonso
authors.affiliation: c Department of Physical Education, School of Education , University of Cádiz , Puerto Real , Spain.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Castro-Piñero
authors.affiliation: a Department of Physical Education, Sports, and Human Movement , Autonomous University of Madrid , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: Óscar L
authors.initials: ÓL
authors.lastname: Veiga
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004777:Environment; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D057566:Self Report; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Physical activity; accelerometry; adolescents; children; neighbourhood