An Observational Study on Play and Physical Activity Associated with a Recreational Facility-Led Park-Based "Loose Parts" Play Intervention during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Play is a human right, yet opportunities for unstructured play are declining. The COVID-19 pandemic further reduced children's play opportunities. We conducted an observational study of a novel community-based intervention (play hubs) that facilitated unstructured play by offering loose parts in parks (Calgary, Canada) during the pandemic.

Effectiveness of an 8-Week Physical Activity Intervention Involving Wearable Activity Trackers and an eHealth App: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Health-promotion interventions incorporating wearable technology or eHealth apps can encourage participants to self-monitor and modify their physical activity and sedentary behavior. In 2020, a Calgary (Alberta, Canada) recreational facility developed and implemented a health-promotion intervention (Vivo Play Scientist program) that provided a commercially available wearable activity tracker and a customized eHealth dashboard to participants free of cost.

Objective: The aim of this study was to independently evaluate the effectiveness of the Vivo Play Scientist program for modifying physical activity and sedentary behavior during the initial 8 weeks of the piloted intervention.

Active and Fit Communities. Associations between Neighborhood Walkability and Health-Related Fitness in Adults.

There are many health benefits of regular physical activity and improving physical fitness levels can reduce the risk of chronic disease. Accumulating evidence suggests the neighborhood built environment is important for supporting physical activity; however, few studies have investigated the contribution of the neighborhood built environment to fitness levels. We examined the associations between objectively-determined and self-reported neighborhood walkability and overall and specific components of perceived health-related fitness (cardiorespiratory, muscular strength, and flexibility) in a random sample of 592 adults from two areas of Calgary (Canada).

Differences in transportation and leisure physical activity by neighborhood design controlling for residential choice.

Background: Cross-sectional studies provide useful insight about the associations between the built environment and physical activity (PA), particularly when reasons for neighborhood choice are considered. Our study analyzed the relationship between levels of weekly transportation and leisure PA among 3 neighborhood designs, statistically adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and reasons for neighborhood choice.

Methods: A stratified random sample of adults (age ≥20 years) living in Calgary (Canada) neighborhoods with different neighborhood designs (grid, warped-grid, and curvilinear) and socioeconomic status completed a self-administered questionnaire capturing PA, sociodemographic characteristics, and reasons for neighborhood choice (response rate = 10.

Test-Retest Reliability and Walk Score Neighbourhood Walkability Comparison of an Online Perceived Neighbourhood-Specific Adaptation of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ).

There is a growing public health interest in the contributions of the built environment in enabling and supporting physical activity. However, few tools measuring neighbourhood-specific physical activity exist. This study assessed the reliability of an established physical activity tool (International Physical Activity Questionnaire: IPAQ) adapted to capture perceived neighbourhood-specific physical activity (N-IPAQ) administered via the internet and compared N-IPAQ outcomes to differences in neighbourhood Walk Score.

A scoping review on the relations between urban form and health: a focus on Canadian quantitative evidence.

Introduction: Despite the accumulating Canadian evidence regarding the relations between urban form and health behaviours, less is known about the associations between urban form and health conditions. Our study aim was to undertake a scoping review to synthesize evidence from quantitative studies that have investigated the relationship between built environment and chronic health conditions, self-reported health and quality of life, and injuries in the Canadian adult population.

Methods: From January to March 2017, we searched 13 databases to identify peer-reviewed quantitative studies from all years that estimated associations between the objectively-measured built environment and health conditions in Canadian adults.

The Independent Associations between Walk Score and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status, Waist Circumference, Waist-To-Hip Ratio and Body Mass Index Among Urban Adults.

: Environmental and policy factors can influence weight status via facilitating or discouraging physical activity and healthy diet. Despite mixed evidence, some findings suggest that the neighborhood built environment, including “walkability”, is associated with overweight and obesity. Most of these findings have measured body mass index (BMI), yet other weight status measures including waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip (W-H) ratio are also predictive of health outcomes, independent of BMI.

Changes in Objectively-Determined Walkability and Physical Activity in Adults: A Quasi-Longitudinal Residential Relocation Study.

Causal evidence for the built environment's role in supporting physical activity is needed to inform land use and transportation policies. This quasi-longitudinal residential relocation study compared within-person changes in self-reported transportation walking, transportation cycling, and overall physical activity during the past 12 months among adults who did and did not move to a different neighbourhood. In 2014, a random sample of adults from 12 neighbourhoods (Calgary, AB, Canada) with varying urban form and socioeconomic status provided complete self-administered questionnaire data ( = 915).

Associations between aspects of friendship networks, physical activity, and sedentary behaviour among adolescents.

Background: Adolescent friendships have been linked to physical activity levels; however, network characteristics have not been broadly examined.

Method: In a cross-sectional analysis of 1061 adolescents (11-15 years), achieving 60 minutes/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and participating in over 2 hours/day of sedentary behaviour were determined based on friendship network characteristics (density; proportion of active/sedentary friends; betweenness centrality; popularity; clique membership) and perceived social support.

Results: Adolescents with no friendship nominations participated in less MVPA.

Associations between familial affluence and obesity risk behaviours among children.

Background: Results of studies examining associations between socioeconomic status and obesity among children are mixed.

Objective: To examine whether physical activity, television viewing, computer use, and fruit, vegetable, soft drink and sweet consumption differed according to familial affluence of children attending schools in disadvantaged communities.

Method: A total of 218 children (seven to 11 years of age) recruited from three Calgary (Alberta) schools located in two adjacent socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods completed online surveys during the spring of 2005/2006.