Background: Many youth fail to meet the recommended guidelines for physical activity. Walking and cycling, forms of active travel, have the potential to contribute significantly towards overall physical activity levels. Recent research examining the associations between physical activity and the environment has shown that environmental factors play a role in determining behaviour in children and adolescents. However, links between the environment and active travel have received less attention.

This study examines the association between objectively measured access to green space, frequency of green space use, physical activity, and the probability of being overweight or obese in the city of Bristol, England. Data from the Bristol Quality of Life in your Neighbourhood survey for 6,821 adults were combined with a comprehensive GIS database of neighbourhood and green space characteristics.. A range of green space accessibility measures were computed. Associations between accessibility and the odds of respondents achieving a recommended 30 minutes or more of moderate activity five times a week, or being overweight or obese, were examined using logistic regression. Results showed that the reported frequency of green space use declined with increasing distance. The study also found that respondents living closest to the type of green space classified as a Formal park were more likely to achieve the physical activity recommendation and less likely to be overweight or obese. The association with physical activity, but not with overweight or obesity, remained after adjustment for respondent characteristics, area deprivation, and a range of characteristics of the neighbourhood environment. The findings suggest that the provision of good access to green spaces in urban areas may help promote population physical activity. IntroductionDespite the well recognised health benefits of regular physical activity and its role in reducing obesity, many people fail to achieve recommended activity levels; currently, only 37% of men and 24% of women in England and Wales meet the Chief Medical Officer's guidelines of 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least five days a week (Department of Health, 2005). Furthermore, over 25% of adult men and women are currently obese or overweight in the UK, for which physical inactivity is a well established risk factor (Pietiläinen, Kaprio, Borg, Plasqui, Yki-Järvinen, Kujala, et al., 2008). These figures are predicted to rise to over 50% in 2050 if current trends continue (Butland, Jebb, Kopelman, McPherson, Thomas, Mardell, et al., 2007).There is increasing evidence that the environment may play a role in influencing physical activity levels (Jones, Bentham, Foster, Hillsdon, & Panter, 2007). In particular, recent research has suggested that the provision of open spaces, such as parks and other green spaces, for recreation may provide an important place for people to be active (Macintyre, Macdonald, & Ellaway, 2008), especially in urban areas where gaining access to the open countryside can be difficult (Maas, Verheij, Spreeuwenberg, & Groenewegen, 2006). Mitchell & Popham (2008), recently highlighted lower levels of circulatory and all-cause mortality amongst English populations with the most green space in their surroundings, and a number of recent policy documents have promoted their potential benefits (e.g. CABE, 2004;National Heart Forum, 2007).The final published version of this article can be found at http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0277-9536(09)

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ObjectiveTo assess the health benefits of outdoor walking groups.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis of walking group interventions examining differences in commonly used physiological, psychological and well-being outcomes between baseline and intervention end.Data sourcesSeven electronic databases, clinical trial registers, grey literature and reference lists in English language up to November 2013.Eligibility criteriaAdults, group walking outdoors with outcomes directly attributable to the walking intervention.ResultsForty-two studies were identified involving 1843 participants. There is evidence that walking groups have wide-ranging health benefits. Meta-analysis showed statistically significant reductions in mean difference for systolic blood pressure −3.72 mm Hg (−5.28 to −2.17) and diastolic blood pressure −3.14 mm Hg (−4.15 to −2.13); resting heart rate −2.88 bpm (−4.13 to −1.64); body fat −1.31% (−2.10 to −0.52), body mass index −0.71 kg/m2 (−1.19 to −0.23), total cholesterol −0.11 mmol/L (−0.22 to −0.01) and statistically significant mean increases in VO2max of 2.66 mL/kg/min (1.67–3.65), the SF-36 (physical functioning) score 6.02 (0.51 to 11.53) and a 6 min walk time of 79.6 m (53.37–105.84). A standardised mean difference showed a reduction in depression scores with an effect size of −0.67 (−0.97 to −0.38). The evidence was less clear for other outcomes such as waist circumference fasting glucose, SF-36 (mental health) and serum lipids such as high-density lipids. There were no notable adverse side effects reported in any of the studies.ConclusionsWalking groups are effective and safe with good adherence and wide-ranging health benefits. They could be a promising intervention as an adjunct to other healthcare or as a proactive health-promoting activity.

Objectively measured neighborhood and route factors are associated with walking and cycling to school. However, distance did not moderate the associations found here. Creating safe environments by improving urban design may influence children's commuting behavior. Intervention studies are needed to confirm the findings from this observational cross-sectional study.