The unbuilt environment: culture moderates the built environment for physical activity

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Creator
  • Perrin, Andrew J.
    • Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Sociology
  • Caren, Neal
    • Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Sociology
  • Skinner, Asheley C
    • Other Affiliation: The Duke Clinical Research Institute
  • Odulana, Adebowale
    • Other Affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina
  • Perrin, Eliana M
    • Affiliation: School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
Abstract
  • Background While research has demonstrated a link between the built environment and obesity, much variation remains unexplained. Physical features are necessary, but not sufficient, for physical activity: residents must choose to use these features in health-promoting ways. This article reveals a role for local culture in tempering the effect of the physical environment on physical activity behaviors. Methods We developed Systematic Cultural Observation (SCO) to observe place-based, health-related culture in Lenoir County, NC (population ~60,000). Photographs (N = 6450) were taken systematically from 150 most-used road segments and geocoded. Coders assessed physical activity (PA) opportunities (e.g., public or private activity spaces, pedestrian-friendly features) and presence of people in each photograph. Results 28.7% of photographs contained some PA feature. Most were private or pedestrian; 3.1% contained public PA space. Only 1.5% of photographs with any PA features (2% of those with public PA space, 0.7% of those with private) depicted people despite appropriate weather and daylight conditions. Conclusions Even when PA opportunities existed in this rural county, they were rarely used. This may be the result of culture (“unbuilt environment”) that disfavors physical activity even in the presence of features that allow it. Policies promoting built environments designed for healthy lifestyles should consider local culture (shared styles, skills, habits, and beliefs) to maximize positive outcomes.
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Resource type
  • Article
Rights statement
  • In Copyright
Rights holder
  • The Author(s).
Journal title
  • BMC Public Health
Journal volume
  • 16
Journal issue
  • 1
Page start
  • 1227
Language
  • English
Bibliographic citation
  • BMC Public Health. 2016 Dec 05;16(1):1227
Publisher
  • BioMed Central

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