ORCID Profile
0000-0001-6998-6339
Current Organisations
University of Florence/Permanent researcher
,
University of Washington
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Seattle Children's Research Institute
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Publications
Sedentary behaviors of adults in relation to neighborhood walkability and income.
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Date: 2012
DOI: 10.1037/A0027874
Abstract: Sedentary (sitting) time is a newly identified risk factor for obesity and chronic diseases, which is behaviorally and physiologically distinct from lack of physical activity. To inform public health approaches to influencing sedentary behaviors, an understanding of correlates is required. Participants were 2,199 adults aged 20-66 years living in King County/Seattle, WA, and Baltimore, MD, regions, recruited from neighborhoods high or low on a "walkability index" (derived from objective built environment indicators) and having high or low median incomes. Cross-sectional associations of walkability and income with total sedentary time (measured by accelerometers and by self-report) and with self-reported time in seven specific sitting-related behaviors were examined. Neighborhood walkability and income were unrelated to measures of total sitting time. Lower neighborhood walkability was significantly associated with more driving time (difference of 18.2 min/day, p < .001) and more self-reported TV viewing (difference of 14.5 min/day, p < .001). Residents of higher income neighborhoods reported more computer/Internet and reading time, and they had more objectively measured sedentary time. Neighborhood walkability was not related to total sedentary time but was related to two specific sedentary behaviors associated with risk for obesity-driving time and TV viewing time. Future research could examine how these prevalent and often prolonged sedentary behaviors mediate relationships between neighborhood walkability and overweight/obesity. Initiatives to reduce chronic disease risk among residents of both higher-and lower-income low-walkable neighborhoods should include a focus on reducing TV viewing time and other sedentary behaviors and enacting policies that can lead to the development or redevelopment of more-walkable neighborhoods. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).
Perceived neighborhood environmental attributes associated with adults’ transport-related walking and cycling: Findings from the USA, Australia and Belgium
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 2012
Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 09-2006
Is Fear of Strangers Related to Physical Activity among Youth?
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 2012
DOI: 10.4278/AJHP.100701-QUAN-224
Abstract: To (1) assess the reliability of the newly developed Fears of Stranger Danger (FSD) scale, (2) examine measurement invariance and identify demographic variation in FSD, and (3) examine associations of FSD with physical activity, screen time, and body mass index (BMI) z score. Cross-sectional survey with test-retest. Neighborhoods with various socioeconomic characteristics and walkability in San Diego, Boston, and Cincinnati. Parent-adolescent pairs (n = 171), and parents of children (n = 116). Response rate was 47% for Survey 1, and 69% were retained for Survey 2. Data analyses included test-retest reliability and internal consistency for FSD, tests of differential functioning for measurement invariance, t-test for associations between FSD and demographic variables, and partial correlation for associations of FSD with physical activity, screen time, and BMI z score. The FSD scale had moderate to substantial test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = .65–.85) and excellent internal consistency (Cronbach á = .88–.94). Measurement invariance was established across gender, race/ethnicity, and income. FSD was higher regarding younger children, females, nonwhites, and lower-income youth. FSD was positively associated with restrictive parental rules for playing outside (partial r = .28–.33), and negatively associated with children's outdoor physical activity in the neighborhood (partial r = −.27), but not associated with other measures of physical activity, screen time, or BMI z score. The new measure of FSD had good evidence of reliability and measurement invariance, but there were inconsistent associations of FSD with youth physical activity.
Advancing Science and Policy Through a Coordinated International Study of Physical Activity and Built Environments: IPEN Adult Methods
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Date: 05-2013
Abstract: National and international strategies to increase physical activity emphasize environmental and policy changes that can have widespread and long-lasting impact. Evidence from multiple countries using comparable methods is required to strengthen the evidence base for such initiatives. Because some environment and policy changes could have generalizable effects and others may depend on each country’s context, only international studies using comparable methods can identify the relevant differences. Currently 12 countries are participating in the International Physical Activity and the Environment Network (IPEN) study. The IPEN Adult study design involves recruiting adult participants from neighborhoods with wide variations in environmental walkability attributes and socioeconomic status (SES). Eleven of twelve countries are providing accelerometer data and 11 are providing GIS data. Current projections indicate that 14,119 participants will provide survey data on built environments and physical activity and 7145 are likely to provide objective data on both the independent and dependent variables. Though studies are highly comparable, some adaptations are required based on the local context. This study was designed to inform evidence-based international and country-specific physical activity policies and interventions to help prevent obesity and other chronic diseases that are high in developed countries and growing rapidly in developing countries.
Two Approaches to Increase Physical Activity for Preschool Children in Child Care Centers: A Matched-Pair Cluster-Randomized Trial
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 21-10-2019
Abstract: Early childhood education settings are critical for promoting physical activity (PA) but intervention effects are often small. The aim of this study was to develop, test, and compare two approaches to increasing physical activity among preschoolers at child care centers: one focused on a teacher-led PA curriculum (Active Play!) and the other on increasing outdoor child-initiated free play time (Outdoor Play!). We conducted a matched-pair cluster-randomized study in 10 centers in and around Seattle, WA, USA (n = 97 children, mean age 4.6). Pre- and post-intervention data were collected from observations and accelerometers. At pre-intervention, 19% of Active Play! and 25% of Outdoor Play! children achieved min/day of PA during child care. The total opportunity for PA increased in both interventions (Active Play! = 11 min/day Outdoor Play! = 14 min/day), with the largest increase in outdoor child-initiated free playtime (Active Play! = 19 min/day Outdoor Play! = 24 min/day). No changes in sedentary time, light or moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) were observed in either intervention and there was no difference between interventions in the percentage of children attaining more than 120 min/day of PA. A small ( min/day) relative increase in teacher-led outdoor activity was observed in the Active Play! intervention. Both intervention strategies led to an increase in active play opportunities, predominantly outdoors, but neither was able to substantially increase the intensity and/or duration of children’s PA. Future studies are needed to better understand and inform sustainable approaches to increase PA in early learning settings.
Cross-validation of the factorial structure of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS) and its abbreviated form (NEWS-A)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 2009
From neighborhood design and food options to residents’ weight status
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2011
DOI: 10.1016/J.APPET.2011.02.006
Abstract: This study examined associations of accessibility, availability, price, and quality of food choices and neighborhood urban design with weight status and utilitarian walking. To account for self-selection bias, data on adult residents of a middle-to-high-income neighborhood were used. Participants kept a 2-day activity/travel diary and self-reported socio-demographics, height, and weight. Geographic Information Systems data were used to objectively quantify walking-related aspects of urban design, and number of and distance to food outlets within respondents' 1km residential buffers. Food outlets were audited for availability, price, and quality of healthful food choices. Number of convenience stores and in-store healthful food choices were positively related to walking for errands which, in turn, was predictive of lower risk of being overweight/obese. Negative associations with overweight/obesity unexplained by walking were found for number of grocery stores and healthful food choices in sit-down restaurants. Aspects of urban form and food environment were associated with walking for eating purposes which, however, was not predictive of overweight/obesity. Access to erse destinations, food outlets and healthful food choices may promote pedestrian activity and contribute to better weight regulation. Accessibility and availability of healthful food choices may lower the risk of overweight/obesity by providing opportunities for healthier dietary patterns.
Objective Assessment of Obesogenic Environments in Youth
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2012
DOI: 10.1016/J.AMEPRE.2012.02.006
Abstract: GIS-based walkability measures designed to explain active travel fail to capture "playability" and proximity to healthy food. These constructs should be considered when measuring potential child obesogenic environments. The aim of this study was to describe the development of GIS-based multicomponent physical activity and nutrition environment indicators of child obesogenic environments in the San Diego and Seattle regions. Block group-level walkability (street connectivity, residential density, land-use mix, and retail floor area ratio) measures were constructed in each region. Multiple sources were used to enumerate parks (∼900-1600 per region) and food establishments (∼10,000 per region). Physical activity environments were evaluated on the basis of walkability and presence and quality of parks. Nutrition environments were evaluated based on presence and density of fast-food restaurants and distance to supermarkets. Four neighborhood types were defined using high/low cut points for physical activity and nutrition environments defined through an iterative process dependent on regional counts of fast-food outlets and overall distance to parks and grocery stores from census block groups where youth live. To identify sufficient numbers of children aged 6-11 years, high physical activity environment block groups had at least one high-quality park within 0.25 miles and were above median walkability, whereas low physical activity environment groups had no parks and were below median walkability. High nutrition environment block groups had a supermarket within 0.5 miles, and fewer than 16 (Seattle) and 31 (San Diego) fast-food restaurants within 0.5 miles. Low nutrition environments had either no supermarket, or a supermarket and more than 16 (Seattle) and 31 (San Diego) fast-food restaurants within 0.5 miles. Income, educational attainment, and ethnicity varied across physical activity and nutrition environments. These approaches to defining neighborhood environments can be used to study physical activity, nutrition, and obesity outcomes. Findings presented in a companion paper validate these GIS methods for measuring obesogenic environments.
Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale for Youth (NEWS-Y): Reliability and relationship with physical activity
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2009
DOI: 10.1016/J.YPMED.2009.07.011
Abstract: To examine the psychometric properties of the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale-Youth (NEWS-Y) and explore its associations with context-specific and overall physical activity (PA) among youth. In 2005, parents of children ages 5-11 (n=116), parents of adolescents ages 12-18 (n=171), and adolescents ages 12-18 (n=171) from Boston, Cincinnati, and San Diego, completed NEWS-Y surveys regarding perceived land use mix- ersity, recreation facility availability, pedestrian/automobile traffic safety, crime safety, aesthetics, walking/cycling facilities, street connectivity, land use mix-access, and residential density. A standardized neighborhood environment score was derived. Self-reported activity in the street and in parks, and walking to parks, shops, school, and overall physical activity were assessed. The NEWS-Y subscales had acceptable test-retest reliability (ICC range .56-.87). Being active in a park, walking to a park, walking to shops, and walking to school were related to multiple environmental attributes in all three participant groups. Total neighborhood environment, recreation facilities, walking and cycling facilities, and land use mix-access had the most consistent relationships with specific types of activity. The NEWS-Y has acceptable reliability and subscales were significantly correlated with specific types of youth PA. The NEWS-Y can be used to examine neighborhood environment correlates of youth PA.
Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome and Nutrition
Publisher: S. KARGER AG
Date: 2014
DOI: 10.1159/000356352
Perceived neighborhood environmental attributes associated with adults’ leisure-time physical activity: Findings from Belgium, Australia and the USA
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.HEALTHPLACE.2012.09.017
Abstract: The study purpose was to examine the strength, direction and shape of the associations of environmental perceptions with recreational walking and leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, using pooled data from four study sites (Baltimore [USA], Seattle [USA], Adelaide [Australia] and Ghent [Belgium]). Moreover, site- and gender-specificity of the associations were examined. In total, 6014 adults (20-65 years, 55.7% women) completed the Neighborhood Environmental Walkability Scale and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Both a 'recreational walking-friendliness' index and a 'leisure-time activity friendliness' index had a positive linear association with recreational walking and leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, respectively. The associations were significant in all study sites except Ghent. Present findings were clearly site-specific, imposing possible challenges for built environment recommendations. In Belgium, interventions to promote leisure-time activity may need to target promotion of existing opportunities rather than built environment improvements.
Neighborhood Environment and Physical Activity Among Older Adults: Do the Relationships Differ by Driving Status?
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Date: 07-2014
Abstract: Some attributes of neighborhood environments are associated with physical activity among older adults. This study examined whether the associations were moderated by driving status. Older adults from neighborhoods differing in walkability and income completed written surveys and wore accelerometers ( N = 880, mean age = 75 years, 56% women). Neighborhood environments were measured by geographic information systems and validated questionnaires. Driving status was defined on the basis of a driver’s license, car ownership, and feeling comfortable to drive. Outcome variables included accelerometer-based physical activity and self-reported transport and leisure walking. Multilevel generalized linear regression was used. There was no significant Neighborhood Attribute × Driving Status interaction with objective physical activity or reported transport walking. For leisure walking, almost all environmental attributes were positive and significant among driving older adults but not among nondriving older adults (five significant interactions at p .05). The findings suggest that driving status is likely to moderate the association between neighborhood environments and older adults’ leisure walking.
Interactive Effects of Built Environment and Psychosocial Attributes on Physical Activity: A Test of Ecological Models
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 17-08-2012
DOI: 10.1007/S12160-012-9394-1
Abstract: The principle of cross-level interactions of influence on behavior in ecological models is seldom studied. To examine built environment × psychosocial interactive effects on physical activity. Multi-level mixed regression analyses used data from the Neighborhood Quality of Life Study conducted in neighborhoods in two US regions (n = 2,199 adults). Outcomes were (1) objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, (2) reported transport walking, and (3) leisure-walking. Conceptually matched built environment variables were analyzed for domain-specific outcomes. With leisure walking as the outcome, built environment × psychosocial interactions were significant in 7 of 20 models tested. Directions of interactions were consistent, indicating a stronger built environment-leisure walking association in adults with less favorable psychosocial status. Little evidence supported such interactions with objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity or transport walking as outcomes. The results imply that the built environment may exert stronger influence on adults who are not psychologically predisposed to be active.
Community Food Environment, Home Food Environment, and Fruit and Vegetable Intake of Children and Adolescents
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2012
DOI: 10.1016/J.JNEB.2010.07.003
Abstract: To determine (1) reliability of new food environment measures (2) association between home food environment and fruit and vegetable (FV) intake and (3) association between community and home food environment. In 2005, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with readministration to assess test-retest reliability. Adolescents, parents of adolescents, and parents of children (n = 458) were surveyed in San Diego, Boston, and Cincinnati. Most subscales had acceptable reliability. Fruit and vegetable intake was positively associated with availability of healthful food (r = 0.15-0.27), FV (r = 0.22-0.34), and ratio of more-healthful/less-healthful food in the home (r = 0.23-0.31) and was negatively associated with less-healthful food in the home (r = -0.17 to -0.18). Home food environment was associated with household income but not with community food environment. A more healthful home food environment was related to youth FV intake. Higher income households had more healthful food in the home. The potential influence of neighborhood food outlets warrants further study.
Associations between perceived neighborhood environmental attributes and adults’ sedentary behavior: Findings from the USA, Australia and Belgium
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2012
The Factor H Binding Protein of Neisseria meningitidis Interacts with Xenosiderophores in Vitro
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 12-11-2012
DOI: 10.1021/BI301161W
Abstract: The factor H binding protein (fHbp) is a key virulence factor of Neisseria meningitidis that confers to the bacterium the ability to resist killing by human serum. The determination of its three-dimensional structure revealed that the carboxyl terminus of the protein folds into an eight-stranded β barrel. The structural similarity of this part of the protein to lipocalins provided the rationale for exploring the ability of fHbp to bind siderophores. We found that fHbp was able to bind in vitro siderophores belonging to the cathecolate family and mapped the interaction site by nuclear magnetic resonance. Our results indicated that the enterobactin binding site was distinct from the site involved in binding to human factor H and stimulates new hypotheses about possible multiple activities of fHbp.
Residents’ perceptions of walkability attributes in objectively different neighbourhoods: a pilot study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2005
DOI: 10.1016/J.HEALTHPLACE.2004.05.005
Abstract: Physical attributes of local environments may influence walking. We used a modified version of the Neighbourhood Environment Walkability Scale to compare residents' perceptions of the attributes of two neighbourhoods that differed on measures derived from Geographic Information System databases. Residents of the high-walkable neighbourhood rated relevant attributes of residential density, land-use mix (access and ersity) and street connectivity, consistently higher than did residents of the low-walkable neighbourhood. Traffic safety and safety from crime attributes did not differ. Perceived neighbourhood environment characteristics had moderate to high test-retest reliabilities. Neighbourhood environment attribute ratings may be used in population surveys and other studies.
Neighborhood Walkability and the Walking Behavior of Australian Adults
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2007
DOI: 10.1016/J.AMEPRE.2007.07.025
Abstract: The physical attributes of residential neighborhoods, particularly the connectedness of streets and the proximity of destinations, can influence walking behaviors. To provide the evidence for public health advocacy on activity-friendly environments, large-scale studies in different countries are needed. Associations of neighborhood physical environments with adults' walking for transport and walking for recreation must be better understood. Walking for transport and walking for recreation were assessed with a validated survey among 2650 adults recruited from neighborhoods in an Australian city between July 2003 and June 2004, with neighborhoods selected to have either high or low walkability, based on objective measures of connectedness and proximity derived from geographic information systems (GIS) databases. The study design was stratified by area-level socioeconomic status, while analyses controlled for participant age, gender, in idual-level socioeconomic status, and reasons for neighborhood self-selection. A strong independent positive association was found between weekly frequency of walking for transport and the objectively derived neighborhood walkability index. Preference for walkable neighborhoods moderated the relationship of walkability with weekly minutes, but not the frequency of walking for transport--walkability was related to higher frequency of transport walking, irrespective of neighborhood self-selection. There were no significant associations between environmental factors and walking for recreation. Associations of neighborhood walkability attributes with walking for transport were confirmed in Australia. They accounted for a modest but statistically significant proportion of the total variation of the relevant walking behavior. The physical environment attributes that make up the walkability index are potentially important candidate factors for future environmental and policy initiatives designed to increase physical activity.
Related Organisations
University At Buffalo, State University Of New York
Location: United States of America
Seattle Children's Research Institute
Location: United States of America
Related Funding Activities
No related grants have been discovered for Brian Saelens.