Parents' Perception of Neighbourhood Environment As a Determinant of Screen Time, Physical Activity and Active Transport (Quantitative Research) (Report‪)‬

Based on the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey, 26% of children in Canada and 22% of children in Alberta between the ages of 2 and 17 are overweight or obese. (1) These rates are alarming primarily because of the health implications (e.g., type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.) that arise due to the deposition of excess adiposity. (2) Various health behaviours have been linked to childhood obesity, (3,4) which has stimulated research on the determinants of these health behaviours. However, a better understanding of the determinants of health behaviours such as physical activity, active transport (walking and biking), and being sedentary will allow for targeted public health actions. Recent research examining neighbourhood factors such as safety, crime, traffic, walkability, and access to parks, playgrounds and recreational facilities as potential determinants of these health behaviours (5-16) reports mixed results. For example, some studies found that higher neighbourhood safety, good accessibility to facilities and sidewalks, lower traffic, as well as lower crime rates were significantly associated with increased physical activity, increased active transport, or decreased screen time in children. (5-9,11,13-17) In contrast, other studies did not find significant associations between characteristics of the neighbourhood environment and health behaviours. (5-7,10,12-14) For example, Romero et al. found that perceptions of more neighbourhood hazards such as presence of crime, gangs, traffic was associated with increased levels of physical activity. (12)