Association between the perceived neighbourhood environmental walkability and self-reported physical activity in South African adolescents: Mini-Oral Presentation B1.6

Feyisayo Odunitan-Wayas; Damaris Musera; Ayanda Africa; Sacha West; Tenielle Venter; Maylene Shung-King; Tolu Oni; Abby King; Estelle Lambert

doi:10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.595

Association between the perceived neighbourhood environmental walkability and self-reported physical activity in South African adolescents

Mini-Oral Presentation B1.6

Authors

Feyisayo A. Odunitan-Wayas University of Cape Town
Damaris K. Musera University of Cape Town
Ayanda Africa University of Cape Town
Sacha West Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Tenielle Venter Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Maylene Shung-King University of Cape Town
Tolu Oni University of Cape Town; University of Cambridge
Abby King Stanford University School of Medicine
Estelle Lambert University of Cape Town

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.595

Keywords:

Adolescents, Physical Activity, Neighbourhood-Walkability, Socioeconomic

Abstract

Background: Globally, policy and environmental interventions have been endorsed to reduce physical inactivity for improved wellbeing, especially in adolescents. Purpose: Understanding the physical activity (PA) levels of urban South African (SA) adolescents and their association with perceived neighbourhood walkability could lead to age-specific interventions to increase PA. Methods: Adolescents (90 girls; 42 boys; mean age 14.95) from 3 high schools were recruited to represent 3 categories of learners from: low-income households schooling in low-income neighbourhoods (L-L); low-income households schooling in middle-high-income neighbourhoods (L-MH); and middle-high income households schooling in middle-high-income neighbourhoods (MH-MH). A locally-validated adolescent PA questionnaire and the Neighbourhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS)-Africa were administered. Data were analysed using descriptive analyses, independent t-tests and Spearman’s correlations. Results: L-L adolescents reported less vigorous PA in school sports ( p=0.001), and more active transport ( p=0.017) and chores ( p=0.009) PA compared to other categories. Vigorous leisure PA was positively associated with land-use mix access (r=0.3; p=0.03) and negatively correlated (r=-0.04; p=0.02) with traffic safety in L-MH adolescents. In L-L adolescents, Traffic, crime, lack of personal safety and worse infrastructure for cycling/walking were associated with less active transport PA, while better aesthetics was associated with more light-PA(r=-0.3; p=0.03). Lack of personal safety was correlated with less PA outside school (p<0.05) for all 3 categories. Conclusions: Perceived lack of safety is a major barrier to PA in South African adolescents, and the built environment may negatively influence the PA levels of L-L adolescents in particular. This study adds to the limited available evidence on environmental constraints to physical activity in young persons from lower- and middle-income countries. Funding: NIHR (16/137/34), NIH FIC D43TW010540 and OBSSR

Published

2021-09-30

How to Cite

Odunitan-Wayas, F., Musera, D., Africa, A., West, S., Venter, T., Shung-King, M., Oni, T., King, A., & Lambert, E. (2021). Association between the perceived neighbourhood environmental walkability and self-reported physical activity in South African adolescents: Mini-Oral Presentation B1.6. The Health & Fitness Journal of Canada, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.595

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Issue

Vol. 14 No. 3 (2021): Proceedings from the 8th International Society for Physical Activity and Health Congress

Section

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

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