Neighborhood Physical Activity Opportunity: A Multilevel Contextual Model

• Published in: Research quarterly for exercise and sport Vol. 73; no. 4; pp. 457 - 463
• Main Authors: Duncan, Susan C., Duncan, Terry E., Strycker, Lisa A., Chaumeton, Nigel R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis Group 01-12-2002; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; African Americans; Beliefs; Child; Drug Use; Epistemology; Ethnic Groups - statistics & numerical data; Ethnicity; Exercise; Family (Sociological Unit); Female; hierarchical structural equation modeling; Humans; Interviews; Male; Motor Activity; Neighborhoods; Opportunities; Pacific States - epidemiology; Parents; Physical Environment; Poverty - statistics & numerical data; Researchers; Residence Characteristics - statistics & numerical data; Social Capital; Social Conditions - statistics & numerical data; Social Control; Social Environment; Structural Equation Models; Pacific States
• ISSN: 0270-1367; 2168-3824
• DOI: 10.1080/02701367.2002.10609046

The purpose of a study was to contribute to and extend limited previous research on physical activity at the neighborhood level using a multilevel design. The study used multiple data sources and specifically examined the relations among perceived neighborhood physical activity opportunity, perceived neighborhood social cohesion, neighborhood problems, and levels of physical activity. These relations were examined after controlling for the effects of neighborhood poverty and race. It was hypothesized that there would be sufficient homogeneity within neighborhoods and sufficient heterogeneity across neighborhoods in perceptions of physical activity opportunity, social cohesion, and neighborhood problems to adequately define a multilevel neighborhood model of physical activity.