Persons using assistive technology might not be able to fully access information in this file. For assistance, please send e-mail to: mmwrq cdc. Type Accommodation and the title of the report in the subject line of e-mail. Regular physical activity improves quality of life and reduces risk for coronary heart disease, colon cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and overall mortality 1. Physical activity also has been associated with reduced symptoms of depression and greater independence 1,2.
A sedentary lifestyle is associated with obesity 1,3. However, despite the health benefits of physical activity, Neighborhood environment e. During , to assess the association between these factors and leisure-time physical inactivity in eastern Travis County, Texas, the local health department collected and analyzed data by using the methodology of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System BRFSS.
This report describes the results of that analysis, which indicated that persons who perceived their neighborhoods as less than extremely safe were more than twice as likely to have no leisure-time physical activity, and those who perceived their neighborhoods as not at all safe were nearly three times as likely to have no leisure-time physical activity. Public health agencies promoting physical activity in neighborhoods should consider how residents perceive their safety and design programs that specifically address those safety concerns.
Applying BRFSS methodologies and core questions, data were collected during a 3-month period in late summer and early fall of Leisure-time physical inactivity was defined as a response of "no" to the BRFSS core exercise question: "During the past month, other than your regular job, did you participate in any physical activities or exercises such as running, calisthenics, golf, gardening, or walking for exercise?
Questions included perceptions of neighborhood safety, presence of sidewalks, adequacy of streetlights, and perceived characteristics of neighbors. For the purposes of the survey, respondents were told that their neighborhoods were defined as the areas within one-half mile or a minute walk from their homes.
