Background-Proximity to routine destinations is an important correlate of physical activity. We examined the association between distance from school and physical activity in adolescent girls.

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New Orleans school children participated in an assessment and field trial of two interventions 15 months after Hurricane Katrina. Children (N = 195) reported on hurricane exposure, lifetime trauma exposure, peer and parent support, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depressive symptoms. Teachers reported on behavior. At baseline, 60.5% screened positive for PTSD symptoms and were offered a group intervention at school or individual treatment at a mental health clinic. Uptake of the mental health care was uneven across intervention groups, with 98% beginning the school intervention, compared to 37% beginning at the clinic. Both treatments led to significant symptom reduction of PTSD symptoms but many still had elevated PTSD symptoms at post treatment. Implications for future postdisaster mental health work are discussed.

A number of studies in recent years have identified both self-report and objectively measured accessibility of recreational facilities as important predictors of physical activity in youth. Yet, few studies have: (1) examined the relationship between the number and proximity of objectively measured neighborhood physical activity facilities and respondents_ perceptions and (2) compared objective and self-report measures as predictors of physical activity. This study uses data on 1,367 6th-grade girls who participated in the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG) to explore these issues. Girls reported whether nine different types of recreational facilities were easily accessible. These facilities included basketball courts, golf courses, martial arts studios, playing fields, tracks, skating rinks, swimming pools, tennis courts, and dance/ gymnastic clubs. Next, geographic information systems (GIS) were used to identify all the parks, schools, and commercial sites for physical activity located within a mile of each girl_s home. These sites were then visited to inventory the types of facilities available. Girls wore accelerometers to measure their weekly minutes of non-school metabolic equivalent weighted moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MW-MVPA). The number of facilities within a half-mile of girls_ homes strongly predicted the perception of easy access to seven out of nine facility types. Both individual facility perceptions and the total number of facilities perceived were associated with increased physical activity. For each additional facility perceived, girls clocked 3% more metabolic equivalent weighted moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (pG0.001). Although girls tended to record 3% more of this kind of physical activity (pG0.05) per basketball court within a mile of their homes, objective facility measures were otherwise unrelated to physical activity. The results from this study suggest that raising the profile of existing facilities may help increase physical activity among adolescent girls.

EVENSON, KELLY R., MOLLY M. SCOTT, DEBORAH A. COHEN, AND CAROLYN C. VOORHEES. Girls' perception of neighborhood factors on physical activity, sedentary behavior, and BMI. Obesity. 2007;15:430 -445. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the association of perceived physical neighborhood factors with physical activity, sedentary behavior, and BMI among adolescent girls. Research Methods and Procedures: Sixth grade girls (n ϭ 1554) completed a questionnaire on neighborhood factors (e.g., safety, esthetics, access to physical activity resources). The dependent variables included non-school metabolic equivalent weighted moderate to vigorous physical activity (MW-MVPA) and non-school sedentary behavior, both measured using accelerometry, and BMI. Results: The following neighborhood factors were associated with lower BMI: seeing walkers and bikers on neighborhood streets, not having a lot of crime in the neighborhood, seeing other children playing outdoors, having bicycle or walking trails in the neighborhood, and access to physical activity facilities. The absolute contribution for the average girl for each of these neighborhood factors was relatively small, with none of these factors exceeding 0.8 kg/m 2 BMI units. The following neighborhood factors were associated with higher MW-MVPA: having well-lit streets at night, having a lot of traffic in the neighborhood, having bicycle or walking trails in the neighborhood, and access to physical activity facilities. Girls with Ն9 places to go for physical activity had 14.0% higher non-school MW-MVPA than girls with Յ4 places. Discussion: This study identified several neighborhood factors associated with non-school MW-MVPA and BMI, but none of the factors explored were associated with nonschool sedentary behavior. Of all of the neighborhood factors we examined, reporting more physically active destinations contributed the largest absolute amount to the average girl's non-school MW-MVPA, according to this cross-sectional study.