Levels and locations of greenspace physical activity in adults.

Findings from the Four Hundred Area Study (FAST) Pilot

Dr Melvyn Hillsdon, Prof Andy Jones, Dr Emma Coombes, Dr Pippa Griew, Dr Charlie Foster, Dr S Hajat, Prof Paul Wilkinson.

FAST sample characteristics• Sampled people from 60 Output Areas in Northwest England stratified

by 8-level urban/rural status and area deprivation

• Sampling took place between autumn 2010 and summer 2011.

• 1,084 adults participated in an in-home interview

In-home interview

• Socio-demographic• Neighbourhood perceptions• Neighbourhood selection• Physical activity• Everyday destinations and travel mode• Walking habit and preference• Social capital

Physical activity measurement

What?

When and how much? Where?

Percentage of recorded MVPA inside or outside home neighbourhood (800m)

Percentage of recorded MVPA by land use

Percentage of recorded MVPA undertaken in greenspace overall and by age and gender

Percentage of recorded MVPA undertaken in greenspace by urban/rural

Percentage of recorded MVPA according to landuse type and deprivation

Distance from home where median level of MVPA takes place in greenspace by urban/rural

Distance from home where median level of MVPA takes place by land use and deprivation

Distance from home where median level of MVPA takes place in greenspace by car access

Conclusions• Adults acquire their physical activity in a range of land uses

most of which are outside the home neighbourhood. • Residents of more deprived areas tend to take their

physical activity closer to home primarily via utilitarian land uses.

• Residents of more affluent areas tend to take their physical activity outside of the home neighbourhood and more in natural environments.

• The spatial scale relevant to investigating green space, physical activity and health varies according to home neighbourhood type (urban/rural), area deprivation, sub-population but is considerably further afield than simply the home neighbourhood

Collaborators/advisors• Fiona Bull

Centre for the Built Environment and Health UWA 

• Sally Macintyre &Anne EllawayMRC Social and

Public Health Sciences Unit• Harry Rutter

National Obesity Observatory

• National Centre for Social Research 

• Ed HobsonCommission for Architecture and the Built Environment

• Paul LincolnNational Heart Forum

• Andy CopeDirector, Research and Monitoring Unit, Sustrans

• Bryony Butland Knowledge Director, Cross Government Obesity Team

• Jennifer Mindell Health and Social Surveys Research Group, UCL

Acknowledgements

• Wellcome Trust for funding the study

• National Centre for Social Research

• The participants of the North West of England